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Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 1
Prabal Dostyk
It is a joint training exercise between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army
It is aimed at enhancing the military ties between the two countries
The 2017 version is planned to be conducted in Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
INS Ghariyal
INS Ghariyal is the indigenously built Landing Ship Tank (LST) commissioned in 1997
It was built under INS Magar class of LST
It is the second LST of the Indian Navy INS Magar was the first one
The ship can carry troops and vehicles and hence is ideally suited for amphibious operations
INS Ghariyal was followed by INS Shardul class of LST
It consists of INS Shardul INS Kesari and INS Airavata which were commissioned in 2007 2008 and 2009
respectively
Worldrsquos Highest Motorable Road
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed worldrsquos highest motorable road in Ladakh
It is being constructed under the Project Himank
It passes through Umlingla Top at a height of over 19300 feet and 230 km from Leh
It is considered as a response to Chinese aggression in LAC in Ladakh
Other roads were earlier constructed under the Project Himank such as Khardung La (17900 ft) and Chang La
Pass (17695 ft) in Leh by connecting Nubra valley and Durbuk valley in the cold desert
Global Clubfoot Conference
The conference was recently inaugurated by the President of India
It is organized by the CURE India in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Clubfoot is a birth defect where one or both feet are rotated inwards and downwards
It is one of the most common orthopedic birth defects
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 2
ISA and EBRD
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
have recently signed a pact for cooperation on energy projects
It is a joint financial partnership declaration for the promotion of solar energy
EBRD is an international financial institution founded in 1991
It is headquartered in London
It is owned by 65 countries and two EU institutions and US is the biggest shareholder
Besides Europe member countries of the EBRD are also from other continents - North America (Canada and
US) Africa (Morocco) Asia (Japan China South Korea) and Australia
The EBRD is not to be confused with the European Investment Bank (EIB) which is owned by EU member states
and used to support EU policy
Election Commission
EC has recently proposed in the Supreme Court that convicted persons should be banned from contesting
elections for life
It is seen as an attempt to take a firm step against criminalization of politics
It had said that a uniform ban would be in spirit of the fundamental rights of the constitution including the right
to equality
The commission had submitted a proposal for poll reforms which include
o Decriminalization of politics
o Making bribery a cognizable offence
o Prohibition on advertisements 48 hours before elections
o Ban on paid news
Click here to know more on the Election Commission
Carnivorous plants
Carnivorous plants usually grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients especially nitrogen
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 3
Thus these plants derive some or most of their nutrients (but not energy) from trapping and consuming animals or
protozoans typically insects and other arthropods
They trap the insects by employing a variety of techniques like nectar smell colour and ultraviolet fluorescence
to capture the prey
The Nepenthes genus carnivorous plants capture insects through their leaf-evolved pitchers which act as
biological traps
According to a recent study carnivorous plants use carbon dioxide (co2) to attract
insects and ants to their traps
It is found that the Indian Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Khasiana) uses the gas both
to attract the prey and to aid the digestive process
The high CO2 inside the pitchers is produced by the respiration of tissues within the cavity
The CO2 release and prey capture triggers the release of anti-fungal compounds preventing infections from prey
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana
Ministry of Communication recently launched Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana scheme
SPARSH - Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude amp Research in Stamps as a Hobby
It is a pan India Scholarship programme to children of Standard VI to IX having good academic record and also pursuing Philately as a hobby
The selection would be based on the evaluation of Project work on Philately amp performance in Philately Quiz conducted by the Circles
World Congress of Mental Health
21st world congress of mental health was recently inaugurated by the President of India
It is being organized by the World Federation for Mental Health in partnership with Caring Foundation in New Delhi
It is taking place in India for the first time
It will have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health
FASTags
An amendment has been made recently to Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 to make FASTags compulsory on vehicles sold on or after December 1 2017
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 4
FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it
It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas
MyFASTag is a consumer app where one can purchase or recharge FASTags FASTag Partner is a merchant app
These apps will facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection making it possible to buy or recharge FASTags
Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully tested Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW)
It is an indigenously developed light weight glide bomb capable of targeting large enemy infrastructure like airfields
It is a long range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon
It is guided through precision navigation system
It can reach the targets at greater than 70 km range with high accuracies
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
PMKSY has been formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation lsquoHar Khet ko panirsquo and improving water use efficiency lsquoMore crop per drop
It also aims to provide end to end solution on source creation distribution management field application and extension activities
It was formulated by amalgamating ongoing schemes
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) - Ministry of Water Resources River Development amp Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWRRDampGR)
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) - Department of Land Resources (DoLR) Ministry of Rural Developement
on Farm Water Management (OFWM) - Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC)
It is implemented in a decentralized manner through State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan
Phasing out of Haj Subsidy
Haj subsidy is a given to Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia
It is borne by the government and it is given in the form of discounted air fares on government owned Air India
A Haj Committee had recommended for the phasing out of Haj subsidy with 2022 as deadline as directed by the Supreme Court in 2012
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 5
Now the Ministry of Minority affairs has decided to phase out the subsidy by 2018 with immediate effect
Nelapattu bird sanctuary
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Nellore district Andhra Pradesh
It is an important breeding site for spot-billed pelicans
Spot-billed pelicans are a bird of large inland and coastal waters especially large lakes
It breeds only in peninsular India Sri Lanka and in Cambodia
They are not migratory but are known to make local movements
They are colonial breeder often breeding in the company of other waterbirds
It is categorized as ldquoNear Threatenedrdquo in IUCN red list
Copious rain from the south west and north east monsoon led to the return of pelicans in Nelapattu sanctuary
Gender Vulnerability Index
The first ever Gender Vulnerability Index is computed by Plan India a non-governmental organisation
It provides state-wise ranking by analyzing four parameters namely health education poverty and
protectionsafety from violence
The index is topped by Goa followed by Kerala and Mizoram
Bihar ranked the lowest in the index particularly women safety and security
The composite index has been developed within research for the NGOs ldquoPlan for Every Child campaignrdquo
It is aimed at comprehensively understanding the dimensions of various problems affecting children particularly
girls in difficult circumstances
ChintanShivir
It is a two day national workshop organized by Ministry of Human Resource Development
The main objective of the workshop is to provide holistic education relevant for 21st century India
It aims to bring together key stakeholders from various NGOs private sector and individuals to deliberate on key
themes in the education sector
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 6
ShaalaSarathi
It is a portal launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It is a State-NGO-CSR Portal to aid the collaboration among the stakeholders in sharing innovative practices in
various schools
Shaala Siddhi - A comprehensive school evaluation system focused on well-defined quality based parameters
It facilitates Schools to make professional judgments for improvement
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sun
It is a faint red dwarf lying four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus
It is orbited by the Earth-sized Proxima b which is the closest exoplanet to the solar system
Scientists have recently detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) Observatory in Chile
The presence of dust belts indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by it
eBird India Portal
It is an e-platform designed for birders to record their sightings through bird lsquorecordrsquo
Bird lsquorecordrsquo is the observation of a particular species at a particular date time and place
Tamil Nadu Statersquos bird lsquorecordrsquo has recently reached one million counts
TN has become the third state to achieve this distinction after Kerala and Karnataka
House Crow comes first in the list of 25 birds record followed by Common Myna Large-billed crow and others
Best Urban Transport Practices Award
The award is announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
ldquoBest City Bus Servicesrdquo award is given to Surat for attracting 87 of private vehicles and auto rickshaw users
Mysurursquos Public Bicycle Sharing has won the lsquoBest Non-Motorised Transportrsquo Award
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 7
Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 8
A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 9
IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 10
TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 11
Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 12
SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 13
Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 14
1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 15
3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 17
geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 21
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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ISA and EBRD
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
have recently signed a pact for cooperation on energy projects
It is a joint financial partnership declaration for the promotion of solar energy
EBRD is an international financial institution founded in 1991
It is headquartered in London
It is owned by 65 countries and two EU institutions and US is the biggest shareholder
Besides Europe member countries of the EBRD are also from other continents - North America (Canada and
US) Africa (Morocco) Asia (Japan China South Korea) and Australia
The EBRD is not to be confused with the European Investment Bank (EIB) which is owned by EU member states
and used to support EU policy
Election Commission
EC has recently proposed in the Supreme Court that convicted persons should be banned from contesting
elections for life
It is seen as an attempt to take a firm step against criminalization of politics
It had said that a uniform ban would be in spirit of the fundamental rights of the constitution including the right
to equality
The commission had submitted a proposal for poll reforms which include
o Decriminalization of politics
o Making bribery a cognizable offence
o Prohibition on advertisements 48 hours before elections
o Ban on paid news
Click here to know more on the Election Commission
Carnivorous plants
Carnivorous plants usually grow in places where the soil is thin or poor in nutrients especially nitrogen
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Thus these plants derive some or most of their nutrients (but not energy) from trapping and consuming animals or
protozoans typically insects and other arthropods
They trap the insects by employing a variety of techniques like nectar smell colour and ultraviolet fluorescence
to capture the prey
The Nepenthes genus carnivorous plants capture insects through their leaf-evolved pitchers which act as
biological traps
According to a recent study carnivorous plants use carbon dioxide (co2) to attract
insects and ants to their traps
It is found that the Indian Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Khasiana) uses the gas both
to attract the prey and to aid the digestive process
The high CO2 inside the pitchers is produced by the respiration of tissues within the cavity
The CO2 release and prey capture triggers the release of anti-fungal compounds preventing infections from prey
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana
Ministry of Communication recently launched Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana scheme
SPARSH - Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude amp Research in Stamps as a Hobby
It is a pan India Scholarship programme to children of Standard VI to IX having good academic record and also pursuing Philately as a hobby
The selection would be based on the evaluation of Project work on Philately amp performance in Philately Quiz conducted by the Circles
World Congress of Mental Health
21st world congress of mental health was recently inaugurated by the President of India
It is being organized by the World Federation for Mental Health in partnership with Caring Foundation in New Delhi
It is taking place in India for the first time
It will have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health
FASTags
An amendment has been made recently to Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 to make FASTags compulsory on vehicles sold on or after December 1 2017
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FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it
It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas
MyFASTag is a consumer app where one can purchase or recharge FASTags FASTag Partner is a merchant app
These apps will facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection making it possible to buy or recharge FASTags
Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully tested Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW)
It is an indigenously developed light weight glide bomb capable of targeting large enemy infrastructure like airfields
It is a long range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon
It is guided through precision navigation system
It can reach the targets at greater than 70 km range with high accuracies
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
PMKSY has been formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation lsquoHar Khet ko panirsquo and improving water use efficiency lsquoMore crop per drop
It also aims to provide end to end solution on source creation distribution management field application and extension activities
It was formulated by amalgamating ongoing schemes
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) - Ministry of Water Resources River Development amp Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWRRDampGR)
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) - Department of Land Resources (DoLR) Ministry of Rural Developement
on Farm Water Management (OFWM) - Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC)
It is implemented in a decentralized manner through State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan
Phasing out of Haj Subsidy
Haj subsidy is a given to Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia
It is borne by the government and it is given in the form of discounted air fares on government owned Air India
A Haj Committee had recommended for the phasing out of Haj subsidy with 2022 as deadline as directed by the Supreme Court in 2012
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Now the Ministry of Minority affairs has decided to phase out the subsidy by 2018 with immediate effect
Nelapattu bird sanctuary
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Nellore district Andhra Pradesh
It is an important breeding site for spot-billed pelicans
Spot-billed pelicans are a bird of large inland and coastal waters especially large lakes
It breeds only in peninsular India Sri Lanka and in Cambodia
They are not migratory but are known to make local movements
They are colonial breeder often breeding in the company of other waterbirds
It is categorized as ldquoNear Threatenedrdquo in IUCN red list
Copious rain from the south west and north east monsoon led to the return of pelicans in Nelapattu sanctuary
Gender Vulnerability Index
The first ever Gender Vulnerability Index is computed by Plan India a non-governmental organisation
It provides state-wise ranking by analyzing four parameters namely health education poverty and
protectionsafety from violence
The index is topped by Goa followed by Kerala and Mizoram
Bihar ranked the lowest in the index particularly women safety and security
The composite index has been developed within research for the NGOs ldquoPlan for Every Child campaignrdquo
It is aimed at comprehensively understanding the dimensions of various problems affecting children particularly
girls in difficult circumstances
ChintanShivir
It is a two day national workshop organized by Ministry of Human Resource Development
The main objective of the workshop is to provide holistic education relevant for 21st century India
It aims to bring together key stakeholders from various NGOs private sector and individuals to deliberate on key
themes in the education sector
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ShaalaSarathi
It is a portal launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It is a State-NGO-CSR Portal to aid the collaboration among the stakeholders in sharing innovative practices in
various schools
Shaala Siddhi - A comprehensive school evaluation system focused on well-defined quality based parameters
It facilitates Schools to make professional judgments for improvement
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sun
It is a faint red dwarf lying four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus
It is orbited by the Earth-sized Proxima b which is the closest exoplanet to the solar system
Scientists have recently detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) Observatory in Chile
The presence of dust belts indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by it
eBird India Portal
It is an e-platform designed for birders to record their sightings through bird lsquorecordrsquo
Bird lsquorecordrsquo is the observation of a particular species at a particular date time and place
Tamil Nadu Statersquos bird lsquorecordrsquo has recently reached one million counts
TN has become the third state to achieve this distinction after Kerala and Karnataka
House Crow comes first in the list of 25 birds record followed by Common Myna Large-billed crow and others
Best Urban Transport Practices Award
The award is announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
ldquoBest City Bus Servicesrdquo award is given to Surat for attracting 87 of private vehicles and auto rickshaw users
Mysurursquos Public Bicycle Sharing has won the lsquoBest Non-Motorised Transportrsquo Award
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Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 8
A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 15
3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 16
The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Thus these plants derive some or most of their nutrients (but not energy) from trapping and consuming animals or
protozoans typically insects and other arthropods
They trap the insects by employing a variety of techniques like nectar smell colour and ultraviolet fluorescence
to capture the prey
The Nepenthes genus carnivorous plants capture insects through their leaf-evolved pitchers which act as
biological traps
According to a recent study carnivorous plants use carbon dioxide (co2) to attract
insects and ants to their traps
It is found that the Indian Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes Khasiana) uses the gas both
to attract the prey and to aid the digestive process
The high CO2 inside the pitchers is produced by the respiration of tissues within the cavity
The CO2 release and prey capture triggers the release of anti-fungal compounds preventing infections from prey
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana
Ministry of Communication recently launched Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana scheme
SPARSH - Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude amp Research in Stamps as a Hobby
It is a pan India Scholarship programme to children of Standard VI to IX having good academic record and also pursuing Philately as a hobby
The selection would be based on the evaluation of Project work on Philately amp performance in Philately Quiz conducted by the Circles
World Congress of Mental Health
21st world congress of mental health was recently inaugurated by the President of India
It is being organized by the World Federation for Mental Health in partnership with Caring Foundation in New Delhi
It is taking place in India for the first time
It will have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health
FASTags
An amendment has been made recently to Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 to make FASTags compulsory on vehicles sold on or after December 1 2017
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FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it
It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas
MyFASTag is a consumer app where one can purchase or recharge FASTags FASTag Partner is a merchant app
These apps will facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection making it possible to buy or recharge FASTags
Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully tested Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW)
It is an indigenously developed light weight glide bomb capable of targeting large enemy infrastructure like airfields
It is a long range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon
It is guided through precision navigation system
It can reach the targets at greater than 70 km range with high accuracies
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
PMKSY has been formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation lsquoHar Khet ko panirsquo and improving water use efficiency lsquoMore crop per drop
It also aims to provide end to end solution on source creation distribution management field application and extension activities
It was formulated by amalgamating ongoing schemes
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) - Ministry of Water Resources River Development amp Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWRRDampGR)
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) - Department of Land Resources (DoLR) Ministry of Rural Developement
on Farm Water Management (OFWM) - Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC)
It is implemented in a decentralized manner through State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan
Phasing out of Haj Subsidy
Haj subsidy is a given to Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia
It is borne by the government and it is given in the form of discounted air fares on government owned Air India
A Haj Committee had recommended for the phasing out of Haj subsidy with 2022 as deadline as directed by the Supreme Court in 2012
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Now the Ministry of Minority affairs has decided to phase out the subsidy by 2018 with immediate effect
Nelapattu bird sanctuary
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Nellore district Andhra Pradesh
It is an important breeding site for spot-billed pelicans
Spot-billed pelicans are a bird of large inland and coastal waters especially large lakes
It breeds only in peninsular India Sri Lanka and in Cambodia
They are not migratory but are known to make local movements
They are colonial breeder often breeding in the company of other waterbirds
It is categorized as ldquoNear Threatenedrdquo in IUCN red list
Copious rain from the south west and north east monsoon led to the return of pelicans in Nelapattu sanctuary
Gender Vulnerability Index
The first ever Gender Vulnerability Index is computed by Plan India a non-governmental organisation
It provides state-wise ranking by analyzing four parameters namely health education poverty and
protectionsafety from violence
The index is topped by Goa followed by Kerala and Mizoram
Bihar ranked the lowest in the index particularly women safety and security
The composite index has been developed within research for the NGOs ldquoPlan for Every Child campaignrdquo
It is aimed at comprehensively understanding the dimensions of various problems affecting children particularly
girls in difficult circumstances
ChintanShivir
It is a two day national workshop organized by Ministry of Human Resource Development
The main objective of the workshop is to provide holistic education relevant for 21st century India
It aims to bring together key stakeholders from various NGOs private sector and individuals to deliberate on key
themes in the education sector
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ShaalaSarathi
It is a portal launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It is a State-NGO-CSR Portal to aid the collaboration among the stakeholders in sharing innovative practices in
various schools
Shaala Siddhi - A comprehensive school evaluation system focused on well-defined quality based parameters
It facilitates Schools to make professional judgments for improvement
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sun
It is a faint red dwarf lying four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus
It is orbited by the Earth-sized Proxima b which is the closest exoplanet to the solar system
Scientists have recently detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) Observatory in Chile
The presence of dust belts indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by it
eBird India Portal
It is an e-platform designed for birders to record their sightings through bird lsquorecordrsquo
Bird lsquorecordrsquo is the observation of a particular species at a particular date time and place
Tamil Nadu Statersquos bird lsquorecordrsquo has recently reached one million counts
TN has become the third state to achieve this distinction after Kerala and Karnataka
House Crow comes first in the list of 25 birds record followed by Common Myna Large-billed crow and others
Best Urban Transport Practices Award
The award is announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
ldquoBest City Bus Servicesrdquo award is given to Surat for attracting 87 of private vehicles and auto rickshaw users
Mysurursquos Public Bicycle Sharing has won the lsquoBest Non-Motorised Transportrsquo Award
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Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
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A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 15
3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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FASTag is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid account linked to it
It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas
MyFASTag is a consumer app where one can purchase or recharge FASTags FASTag Partner is a merchant app
These apps will facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection making it possible to buy or recharge FASTags
Smart Anti Airfield Weapon
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have successfully tested Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW)
It is an indigenously developed light weight glide bomb capable of targeting large enemy infrastructure like airfields
It is a long range precision-guided anti-airfield weapon
It is guided through precision navigation system
It can reach the targets at greater than 70 km range with high accuracies
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)
PMKSY has been formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation lsquoHar Khet ko panirsquo and improving water use efficiency lsquoMore crop per drop
It also aims to provide end to end solution on source creation distribution management field application and extension activities
It was formulated by amalgamating ongoing schemes
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) - Ministry of Water Resources River Development amp Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWRRDampGR)
Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) - Department of Land Resources (DoLR) Ministry of Rural Developement
on Farm Water Management (OFWM) - Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC)
It is implemented in a decentralized manner through State Irrigation Plan and District Irrigation Plan
Phasing out of Haj Subsidy
Haj subsidy is a given to Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia
It is borne by the government and it is given in the form of discounted air fares on government owned Air India
A Haj Committee had recommended for the phasing out of Haj subsidy with 2022 as deadline as directed by the Supreme Court in 2012
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Now the Ministry of Minority affairs has decided to phase out the subsidy by 2018 with immediate effect
Nelapattu bird sanctuary
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Nellore district Andhra Pradesh
It is an important breeding site for spot-billed pelicans
Spot-billed pelicans are a bird of large inland and coastal waters especially large lakes
It breeds only in peninsular India Sri Lanka and in Cambodia
They are not migratory but are known to make local movements
They are colonial breeder often breeding in the company of other waterbirds
It is categorized as ldquoNear Threatenedrdquo in IUCN red list
Copious rain from the south west and north east monsoon led to the return of pelicans in Nelapattu sanctuary
Gender Vulnerability Index
The first ever Gender Vulnerability Index is computed by Plan India a non-governmental organisation
It provides state-wise ranking by analyzing four parameters namely health education poverty and
protectionsafety from violence
The index is topped by Goa followed by Kerala and Mizoram
Bihar ranked the lowest in the index particularly women safety and security
The composite index has been developed within research for the NGOs ldquoPlan for Every Child campaignrdquo
It is aimed at comprehensively understanding the dimensions of various problems affecting children particularly
girls in difficult circumstances
ChintanShivir
It is a two day national workshop organized by Ministry of Human Resource Development
The main objective of the workshop is to provide holistic education relevant for 21st century India
It aims to bring together key stakeholders from various NGOs private sector and individuals to deliberate on key
themes in the education sector
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 6
ShaalaSarathi
It is a portal launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It is a State-NGO-CSR Portal to aid the collaboration among the stakeholders in sharing innovative practices in
various schools
Shaala Siddhi - A comprehensive school evaluation system focused on well-defined quality based parameters
It facilitates Schools to make professional judgments for improvement
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sun
It is a faint red dwarf lying four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus
It is orbited by the Earth-sized Proxima b which is the closest exoplanet to the solar system
Scientists have recently detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) Observatory in Chile
The presence of dust belts indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by it
eBird India Portal
It is an e-platform designed for birders to record their sightings through bird lsquorecordrsquo
Bird lsquorecordrsquo is the observation of a particular species at a particular date time and place
Tamil Nadu Statersquos bird lsquorecordrsquo has recently reached one million counts
TN has become the third state to achieve this distinction after Kerala and Karnataka
House Crow comes first in the list of 25 birds record followed by Common Myna Large-billed crow and others
Best Urban Transport Practices Award
The award is announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
ldquoBest City Bus Servicesrdquo award is given to Surat for attracting 87 of private vehicles and auto rickshaw users
Mysurursquos Public Bicycle Sharing has won the lsquoBest Non-Motorised Transportrsquo Award
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Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 8
A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 10
TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 15
3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Now the Ministry of Minority affairs has decided to phase out the subsidy by 2018 with immediate effect
Nelapattu bird sanctuary
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in Nellore district Andhra Pradesh
It is an important breeding site for spot-billed pelicans
Spot-billed pelicans are a bird of large inland and coastal waters especially large lakes
It breeds only in peninsular India Sri Lanka and in Cambodia
They are not migratory but are known to make local movements
They are colonial breeder often breeding in the company of other waterbirds
It is categorized as ldquoNear Threatenedrdquo in IUCN red list
Copious rain from the south west and north east monsoon led to the return of pelicans in Nelapattu sanctuary
Gender Vulnerability Index
The first ever Gender Vulnerability Index is computed by Plan India a non-governmental organisation
It provides state-wise ranking by analyzing four parameters namely health education poverty and
protectionsafety from violence
The index is topped by Goa followed by Kerala and Mizoram
Bihar ranked the lowest in the index particularly women safety and security
The composite index has been developed within research for the NGOs ldquoPlan for Every Child campaignrdquo
It is aimed at comprehensively understanding the dimensions of various problems affecting children particularly
girls in difficult circumstances
ChintanShivir
It is a two day national workshop organized by Ministry of Human Resource Development
The main objective of the workshop is to provide holistic education relevant for 21st century India
It aims to bring together key stakeholders from various NGOs private sector and individuals to deliberate on key
themes in the education sector
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ShaalaSarathi
It is a portal launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It is a State-NGO-CSR Portal to aid the collaboration among the stakeholders in sharing innovative practices in
various schools
Shaala Siddhi - A comprehensive school evaluation system focused on well-defined quality based parameters
It facilitates Schools to make professional judgments for improvement
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sun
It is a faint red dwarf lying four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus
It is orbited by the Earth-sized Proxima b which is the closest exoplanet to the solar system
Scientists have recently detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) Observatory in Chile
The presence of dust belts indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by it
eBird India Portal
It is an e-platform designed for birders to record their sightings through bird lsquorecordrsquo
Bird lsquorecordrsquo is the observation of a particular species at a particular date time and place
Tamil Nadu Statersquos bird lsquorecordrsquo has recently reached one million counts
TN has become the third state to achieve this distinction after Kerala and Karnataka
House Crow comes first in the list of 25 birds record followed by Common Myna Large-billed crow and others
Best Urban Transport Practices Award
The award is announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
ldquoBest City Bus Servicesrdquo award is given to Surat for attracting 87 of private vehicles and auto rickshaw users
Mysurursquos Public Bicycle Sharing has won the lsquoBest Non-Motorised Transportrsquo Award
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Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
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A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 20
What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 21
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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ShaalaSarathi
It is a portal launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development
It is a State-NGO-CSR Portal to aid the collaboration among the stakeholders in sharing innovative practices in
various schools
Shaala Siddhi - A comprehensive school evaluation system focused on well-defined quality based parameters
It facilitates Schools to make professional judgments for improvement
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sun
It is a faint red dwarf lying four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus
It is orbited by the Earth-sized Proxima b which is the closest exoplanet to the solar system
Scientists have recently detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) Observatory in Chile
The presence of dust belts indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by it
eBird India Portal
It is an e-platform designed for birders to record their sightings through bird lsquorecordrsquo
Bird lsquorecordrsquo is the observation of a particular species at a particular date time and place
Tamil Nadu Statersquos bird lsquorecordrsquo has recently reached one million counts
TN has become the third state to achieve this distinction after Kerala and Karnataka
House Crow comes first in the list of 25 birds record followed by Common Myna Large-billed crow and others
Best Urban Transport Practices Award
The award is announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
ldquoBest City Bus Servicesrdquo award is given to Surat for attracting 87 of private vehicles and auto rickshaw users
Mysurursquos Public Bicycle Sharing has won the lsquoBest Non-Motorised Transportrsquo Award
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Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
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A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 19
Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 20
What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 21
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 28
It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Kochi Kerala has been chosen for the lsquoBest Urban Transport Initiativersquo Award for completing its Metro Rail
Project in a quick time and integrating it with other modes of transport
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 10
TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 15
3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 19
Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 20
What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 23
Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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A FASTag is a device that employs radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it it will be mandatory from December 01 for all new four-wheelers to have FASTag devices fixed on the front windscreens by automobile manufacturers or authorised dealers
The Border Roads Organisation has constructed the worldrsquos highest motorable road in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir The 86-km-long road passing through Umlingla Top is at a height of over 19300 feet
A 14 days joint training exercise lsquoPRABAL DOSTYK 2017rsquo between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commenced at Bakloh Himachal Pradesh
ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo grouping
Context India has accepted an invitation to join the Japan-proposed US-endorsed plan for a ldquoQuadrilateralrdquo
grouping including Australia
What is it for The quadrilateral arrangement including US Japan Australia and India aims to be a grouping of
countries all looking to balance China using an international rules-based order to counter Chinarsquos aggressive
power play The grouping also aims to provide alternative debt financing for countries in the Indo-Pacific
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Context Corporate Affairs Ministry (MCA) is taking steps to set up National Financial Reporting Authority
(NFRA)
What is it It is an independent body to test check financial statements prescribe accounting standards and take
disciplinary action against errant professionals The Companies Act 2013 provides for setting up a National
Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA)
Paradise papers
What are they They are a trove of 134 million corporate records primarily from Bermuda firm Appleby as well as
from Singapore-based Asiaciti Trust and corporate registries maintained by governments in 19 secrecy jurisdictions
often referred to as ldquotax paradisesrdquo They reveal tracks of veiled offshore financial activities
Reversing Antimicrobial Resistance
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria use the efflux pumps to expel antibiotics from the intracellular environmentgt It thus prevents antibiotics from reaching the target thus helping the bacteria to survive
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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IIT Roorkee have been able to reverse drug resistance by using a small molecule screened from a synthetic library of 8000 molecules
The molecule restores the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-group of antibiotics by inhibiting the proton gradient which drives the efflux pump
Rattan
Rattan is the name for roughly 600 species of old world climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae The climbing habit is associated with the characteristics of its flexible woody stem derived typically from a
secondary growth It makes rattan a liana rather than a true wood Generally raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making[ Scientists have discovered that non-protected areas near the Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve Silent Valley-
Mukurthi National Parks and Coorg-Wayanad in the Western Ghats are hotspots of rattan or cane species Urgent conservation attention in the face of threats including habitat loss and excessive harvesting would be
critical here
Superhydrophobic Cotton
Superhydrophobic ie extremely water repelling medical cotton has been developed by a team of researchers at IIT Guwahati
It removed up to 95 of oil-spill of different densities ie both light and heavy oils repetitively at least 100 times using
The efficiency of absorption is very high ie one gram of the superhydrophobic cotton absorbs 20 grams of either heavy or light oils
The absorbed oil can be recovered through physical compression
Most Threatened Ape
Scientists have so far recognized six living species of great ape aside from humans They are Sumatran and Bornean orangutans eastern and western gorillas chimpanzees and bonobos But researchers have now made the list into seven based on a collection of evidence showing that an isolated
population of orangutans living in Sumatra is actually its own unique species Theyve named the new species the Tapanuli orang-utan But there are only about 800 Tapanuli orangutans left This makes this newly discovered species among the most threatened great ape species in the world
Ozone Hole
NOAA and NASA collaborate to monitor the growth and recovery of the ozone hole every year Measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in Earths ozone layer that forms over Antarctica was
the smallest observed since 1988 The polar stratospheric cloud formation and persistence of these clouds are important first steps leading to the
chlorine- and bromine-catalyzed reactions that destroy ozone The smaller ozone hole in 2017 was strongly influenced by an unstable and warmer Antarctic vortex -- the
stratospheric low pressure system that rotates clockwise in the atmosphere above Antarctica This helped minimize polar stratospheric cloud formation in the lower stratosphere
TholpavaKoothu
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 15
3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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TholpavaKoothu is a unique shadow puppet theatre form of Kerala It is an ancient peculiar ritualistic art form dedicated to Bhagavati worshiped by the people of Kerala as the
Mother Goddess It is performed using leather puppets at the specially constructed theatre called Koothu Madam in front
of the Bhagavati temple It is believed to have originated in the ninth century AD It uses Tamil epic ldquoKamba Ramayanardquo as its basic text The language used is a dialect of Tamil with an admixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam words It is a fine example of the integration of Aryan and Dravidian cultures It is preserved as a family tradition by the Pulavars
INSV Tarini
INSV Tarini is the Indian Navyrsquos second ocean going sailboat Navika Sagar Parikrama is a project wherein a team of women officers of the Indian Navy would
circumnavigate the globe on INSV Tarini This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew It has completed its first leg of its maiden voyage (Goa to Australia) and started its second leg of its global
expedition from Australia to New Zealand ldquoINSV Tarinirdquo was built based on the design of famous temple Tara Tarini The temple is situated in Kumari hills at the bank of the River Rushikulya Odisha Click here to know more about Tara Tarini Temple
Ancient Spiral Galaxy
Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe known as ldquoA1689B11rdquo that existed almost 11 billion years ago
It existed just 26 billion years after the Big Bang (13 billion years ago) when the universe was only one-fifth of its present age
It is a spiral galaxy which could provide insights into the early cosmos Scientists used a powerful technique on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to verify the spiral nature
of the galaxy
Aircraft Launch System
India is going to launch second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) - INS Vishal using US based aircraft launch mechanisms
It will have to choose between catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) and electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)
CATOBAR is powered by a steam catapult and EMALS uses an electric motor-driven catapult instead The use of electro-magnetic energy allows the launch of much heavier aircraft and also reduces the stress
on the aircraft INS Vishal 65000-70000 tonne nuclear-powered vessel is a follow up of INS Vikrant class of aircraft
carriers Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on a Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in the present
carrier INS Vikramaditya
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 20
What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 21
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Black Buck Reserve
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up in the Trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad near the MP and UP border
Blackbuck or Antilopecervicapra also known as Indian Antelope is found in India Nepal and Pakistan It is the sole living member of the genus Antilope and is classified under the family Bovidae It is known for its majestic spiral horns (in males) and coat colour contrasts They are found in the open Savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few
patches and habitats It is inhabited in
i Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat ii Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka
iii Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Maharashtra iv Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Bihar
It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Appendix III of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The reserve in Allahabad is the first ever conservation reserve of its kind in UP
Autumn Leaf
The Autumn Leaf is a rare butterfly species normally found in Karnataka and Kerala It resembles a leaf found in the autumn with an orangish tinge It is spotted for the first time after few years in the Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) Tamil
Nadu GSWS also known as Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary home to the endangered grizzled squirrel is
bordered by Periyar Tiger Reserve and Palaghat gap It is considered as one of the Butterfly hotspots
Nirbhay Missile
DRDO has successfully tested Nirbhay Cruise Missile recently from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur Odisha
Nirbhay cruise missile is the Indiarsquos first long range sub-sonic cruise missile It has an operational range of 1000 km (long range) It is capable of carrying warheads of up to 300kg at a speed of 06 to 07 Mach (sub-sonic) It is a two-stage missile powered by Solid rocket motor booster It is guided by a highly advanced indigenously developed inertial navigation system Sub-sonic ndash Any speed lower than the speed of sound Mach number greater than 1 is called as super-sonic Cruise Missile ndash It is a guided missile that flies major portion of its flight within atmosphere at approx
constant speed Ballistic Missile ndash It is a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and guided only relatively during brief
periods and spends most of their flight out of the atmosphere
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 28
It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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SHe-box Portal
SHe-box (Sexual Harassment electronic box) is an online platform launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
The platform is to enable women employees to file complaints related to sexual harassment at the workplace It enables both public and private sector employees to lodge their complaints It ensures the effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 Under the act it is compulsory for any organisation with 10 or more employees to set up an internal
complaints committee (ICC) for addressing complaints of sexual harassment The complaints filed in the portal will be forwarded to ICC and also paves way for monitoring the progress of
the complaint
New Species in Andaman
Edible wild banana species has been discovered in Andaman Island the second such species on the island in two years
In 2014 Musa indandamanensis wild banana species was discovered in a remote tropical rain forest on the Little Andaman Island
The latest discovery Musa paramjitiana found in North Andaman Island The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit with numerous
bulb-shaped seeds Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo
New Species in Western Ghats
A new species of ant was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats region It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical genus of ants that is distributed in the Indomalayan bio-region Its Bio region extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia It is named as Tyrannomyrmexalii as a tribute to countryrsquos ldquoAnt Manrdquo eminent myrmecologist Musthak Ali
Kathak
The birth anniversary of Sitara Devi Kathak queen and often hailed as the lsquoEmpress of dance (NrityaSamragini)rsquo is observed today
Kathak is an ancient Indian classical dance and started as oral tradition by kathakars or storytellers based on episodes from epics myths and legends
Later it evolved in to a simple form of expressional dance through rhythmic foot movements hand gestures facial expressions and eye work
Bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical form with Radha-Krishna theme and works of Mirabai Surdas
Three specific forms of kathak are three gharanas (schools) namely the Jaipur gharana the Benarasgharana and the Lucknow gharana
The gharanas mostly differ in emphasis given to footwork versus acting The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah the last Nawab
of Oudh Being the only classical dance of India having links with Muslim culture it represents a unique synthesis of
Hindu and Muslim genius in art It is the only form of classical dance wedded to Hindustani music
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 21
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Kambala
It is an annual buffalo race conducted in Coastal belt of Karnataka It is a traditional bull sport similar to Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu The track used for Kambala is a slushy paddy field It is conducted in both competitive and non-competitive manner The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March in the following year Supreme Court in 2014 had banned Kambala based on a petition filed by various animal rights organisations Following the massive protest against the ban Karnataka government passed ldquoThe Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance 2017rdquo to legalize the bull sport Recently People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have challenged the ordinance but SC refuses
to stay ordinance
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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1World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time
Issues Our National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that close to 14 per cent of Indiarsquos population required active
mental health interventions About two per cent suffered from severe mental disorders Biggest obstacle that mental health patients have to encounter is stigma and denial This leads to the issue
being ignored or simply not discussed A second biggest obstacle is that of human resourcesThere are only about five thousand psychiatrists and less
than two thousand clinical psychologists in our country
Remedies We need to talk about mental health issues and treat ailments such as depression and stress as diseases that can
be cured Indiarsquos National Mental Health Programme is building 22 centres of excellence in the field of mental health In
parallel the District Mental Health Programme has already covered 517 of the approximately 650 districts in India It is taking the conversation about mental health to the grassroots of our society
To spread awareness it is important to build partnerships between the public and private sectors and between the government and civil society organisations
It would also be valuable to stitch together community support networks The World Congress will also have sessions on yoga meditation and traditional approaches to mental health It
will tap into our wealth of traditional knowledge and link itrsquos learning to modern research on mental health This will promote a holistic approach to mental health-care and can combine the best of different fields of practice
Information Technology and telemedicine are also coming of aid Such technologies are linking doctors and counsellors in cities to mental health patients in rural areas As Internet penetration expands in our country this holds much potential
2 7th Asian Energy Ministersrsquo Round Table organised by International Energy Forum (IEF) in Bangkok India is the current Chair of the IEF Highlights How to overcome market and policy hurdles Importance of a flexible transparent and non-discriminatory global LNG trading regime which would expedite
ushering in the golden age of gas Need to move to a gas based economy and the avenues for FDI in building infrastructure for gas including
LNG terminals pipelines CGD etc
Indiarsquos unprecedented leap of 30 places in the ease of doing business and also how PM Ujjwala Scheme can be a model to be adopted in developing countries of Asia and Africa was also highlighted in the meet
International Energy Forum (IEF) IEF is the largest inter-governmental organisation in the field of oil and gas comprising 72 member countries accounting for 90 of global supply and demand of oil and gas Members include developing developed OPEC Non-OPEC and G20 countries 18 of the G20 countries are members of IEF
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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3 Highlights It is a three-day event which is
organised by the Food Processing Industries Ministry will see investors manufacturers producers food processors policy makers and organisations from all over the world
The event aims to facilitate participation between domestic and international businesses
This is the first time that India is hosting such an event for the food processing sector
Over 800 kg khichdi will be prepared live on November 4 at the World Food India event in a bid to create world record and popularise it as brand India food globally
World Food India
World Food India aims to transform food economy and realize the vision of doubling of farmersrsquo income by establishing India as a preferred investment destination and sourcing hub for the global food processing industry
Significance India has geared up for a revolution in the food processing sector and it was clear that the global companies
were eagerly looking towards India for collaboration World Food India platform will strengthen Indiarsquos position as a global food factory and is a positive step
towards making the country food secure India is expected to attract an investment of $10 billion in food processing sector and generate one million jobs
in the next three years
Various schemes and programs initiated by the Government to achieve the target of Doubling of Farmersrsquo Income by 2022 1 Special focus on irrigation with sufficient budget with the aim of ldquoPer Drop More Croprdquo 2 Provision of quality seeds and nutrients based on soil health of each field 3 Large investments in Warehousing and Cold Chains to prevent post-harvest crop losses 4 Promotion of value addition through food processing 5 Creation of a National Farm Market removing distortions and e-platform across 585 Stations 6 Introduction of a New Crop Insurance Scheme to mitigate risks at an affordable cost 7 Promotion of ancillary activities like poultry beekeeping and fisheries
4 Blackbuck conservation reserve to come up in UP
A wildlife conservation reserve dedicated exclusively to the blackbuck is coming up over 126 hectares in the trans-Yamuna region of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh Context The State cabinet has approved a Blackbuck Conservation
Reserve in the Meja forest division that is known for its rocky undulating and arid terrain
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 21
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 22
empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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The area has more than 200 species of birds and herbivores like blackbucks and bluebull and carnivores like jackals and striped hyena
There are a few national parks and sanctuaries inhabited by blackbuck in the country like the Velavadar Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and the Ranibennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Karnataka However there are not many conservation reserves exclusively dedicated to the antelope
Blackbuck Blackbucks known for their majestic spiral horns and coat colour contrasts are found in grasslands and open
forests They once ruled the open savannahs of north and central India but are now restricted to just a few patches and
habitats primarily due to human population growth ecosystem degradation and hunting
Significance The conservation of blackbuck can be done in an effective way It will also create awareness about biodiversity conservation and provide opportunities for peoplersquos
participation Eco-tourism will be encouraged and locals will get opportunities for employment
5 India offers to share real-time maritime data India has made an offer to share intelligence of maritime movements in the Indian Ocean in real-time with 10 Indian Ocean littoral States Key points 10 Indian Ocean littoral States to benefit from initiative The information to be shared includes movement of commercial traffic as well as intelligence The information sharing is not so much for conventional military purposes but to deal with non-traditional
threats arising at sea This comes even as India gears up to counter Chinarsquos increased presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was inaugurated at the Tarang Auditorium of INS Mandovi Goa The conclave was aimed at ldquoAddressing Regional Maritime Challengesrdquo wherein the deliberations were focused on emerging maritime threats and force structuring maritime domain awareness maritime security architecture and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region(IOR) Significance of GMC GMC aims to bring together like minded nations to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging
challenges in the maritime domain It would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively
shape a favourable maritime environment for all countries in the region Political and economic interactions between the stake holders in the IOR has great impact on regional
dynamics in international geo-politics 6 PowerGrid completes extending grid connectivity to Leh-Ladakh region Highlights This is the first time in the country that any
220kV voltage level substation is built at such a high altitude of over 11500 feet
It is a prestigious project of Indian government to extend grid connectivity to difficult
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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geographical areas of Leh- Ladhakh Region in Jammu and Kashmir Implementation of Srinagar-Leh Transmission System has been entrusted to Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited The commissioning of these elements will facilitate delivery of power from the Nimmo Bazgo Hydro-electric
power stations in LehLadhakh Region with reliability
POWERGRID Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) is an Indian state-owned electric utility company headquartered in Gurugram India POWERGRID transmits about 50 of the total power generated in India on its transmission network A ldquoNavaratnardquo Central Public Sector Enterprise Indiarsquos largest Electric Power Transmission Utility Third Largest Public Sector Enterprise in terms of Gross Block
7 PAN Indian Army Release of Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) Software Application Integrated Quarter Master Package (IQMP) IQMP is web based software developed by Army Software Development Centre in association with Ms TCS
Ltd The application automates various logistics related functions of an Army Unit The application will replace
numerous legacy applications such as lsquoVastrarsquo and lsquoQuarter Master Packagersquo The application can be dynamically configured to meet the specific requirements of various types of Army
units and is capable of sharing information and data with other software applications in the domain of logistics management
Significance The software has been developed with the aim of bringing speed accuracy and transparency in handling
logistics aspects in the unit It will also play an important role in achieving automation of Indian Army and prove to be a significant
milestone towards lsquoDigital Armyrsquo in consonance with the lsquoDigital India initiativersquo of the government
8 Etikoppaka toys are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh but also gained their popularity all over the country and abroad over the years But this art form suffered a setback in the last decade The exports to the US and Europe which were to the tune of Rs 50 to 80 lakh per annum were stopped in 2007 when the importers insisted on GI certification and heavy metal analysis both not in the hands of the villagers
Key Points Etikoppaka toys popularly known as Lakkapidathalu finally received
Geographical Indication by the Registration of Geographical Indication
The artisans are yet to get heavy metal analysis certificate for exporting to the US and European countries
Facing a new threat from dumping of identical Chinese wooden toys into the markets
Getting little help from the government the artisans are now looking for online trading agencies to sell their products
Geographical Indications(GI)
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 28
It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 31
works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 53
Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of origin of that product Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality region or country
9 India will soon emerge as an aviation hub not only in terms of increased air connectivity but also in terms of Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities and setting up of ancillary units
Positive trends seen India is witnessing a high-growth trajectory and set to become the third-largest aviation market in the world in
terms of passengers by 2026 With increasing disposable incomes and a burgeoning middle class air travel will witness further spurt in the
years ahead Governmentrsquos Udan scheme seeks in promoting regional connectivity by serving the un-served and under-
served airports Connecting Tier-II cities pilgrim towns and historic places with the wider air routes is important for boosting
tourism and business travel 10 Noted writer of Hindi literature Krishna Sobti will be conferred with the countryrsquos highest literary honour Jnanpith Award this year in 2017 Sobti will be awarded with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh a certificate and a memento as part of the 53rd
Jnanpith Award ceremony
About Jnanpith awards The Jnanpith Award is one of the prestigious literary honours in the country The award was instituted in
1961 Eligibility Any Indian citizen who writes in any of the official languages of India is eligible for the honour
11 NESCO has launched a Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
About the Strategic framework
What is it The Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2012) aims to respond to the Education crisis in the region through supporting Member States in meeting their educational needs and helping them meet the commitments set out in SDG4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030
Why Arab region Education has been deeply affected by the scale of crisis in the Arab Region with over 13 million children and youth not going to school due to conflict
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 27
Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 28
It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Goals The Strategic Framework consists of four strategic goals anchored in the three pillars of education Access Quality and System Strengthening
Significance of the framework The Framework aims to increase access to quality learning opportunities for children and youth to empower them with values knowledge and skills for life and work to support teachers and enhance the resilience of education systems
12The Ministry of Shipping has extended the period of the Coastal Berth scheme of the flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto 31st March 2020 and expanded its scope to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of DPR for coastal berth project in Oct 2017
About the Coastal Berth Scheme What is it The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways
Implementation The projects under the Scheme are distributed over eight states with the highest number of projects in Maharashtra Andhra Pradesh amp Goa
Financial assistance The admissible financial assistance from Central Government is 50 of the total cost of the project The financial assistance will also be provided for the preparation of DPRs for the projects to be considered under this scheme The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective Ports concerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
Significance of the scheme The scheme aims to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping will decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution The country has high potential to use coastal shipping for its internal cargo movement given its 7500 kms long coastline
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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What you need to know about Sagarmala The Sagarmala project seeks to develop a string of ports around Indiarsquos coast The objective of this initiative is to promote ldquoPort-led developmentrdquo along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail inland water coastal and road services The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative 13 The recent boiler explosion at NTPCrsquos Unchahar power plant in Rae Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and protocols for hazardous industrial operations
Regulation of Boilers High pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment which are strictly regulated with special laws In fact the basic objective of the Indian Boilers Act 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units
Reasons for the accident at Rae Bareli
First of all the state government failed miserably in meeting the objective of ensuring the safety of life and protection of property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of these units is evident from the accident at the public sector facility
To enhance the ease of doing business in India the government has relaxed crucial safety checks Self-certification and third-party certification of facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of boilers
What needs to be done
Regulatory mechanism The Unchahar accident shows it is in everyonersquos interest to have a transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity
Reporting The safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be compromised A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed
The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially It must be the Centrersquos endeavour to see that measures taken to make it easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation and putting lives at risk
Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation while keeping the workplace safe
Way ahead
The accident was entirely preventable because boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point They should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are working and intact The incident calls for an inquiry into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used Ideally these aspects should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC
14 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadu has won UNESCO Asia-Pacific award for cultural heritage conservation programme in the Awards of Merit category It is first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
UNESCO Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme
The awards were launched in 2000 by UNESCO for cultural heritage conservation programme They are given under four categoriesndash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 27
Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 28
It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
It is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India It has been mentioned Tamil literature as early as Sangam era The temple is treasure trove of Indiarsquos ancient history It is constructed in the Tamil or Dravidian style of temple architecture
The legends call it one of eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu and one of the most important 108 main Vishnu temples It is known by several names such as Thiruvaranga Tirupati Bhoologa Vaikundam Periyakoil Bhogamandabam
This temple lies on an island formed by twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon Its complex stretches over 156 acres with perimeter of 4116 m It is the largest temple in India and one of largest religious complexes in the world The temple has over seven prakaras or enclosures which are formed by thick and huge defensive walls running around the holy shrine It has over 21 magnificent towers inside all prakaras
The main entrance of temple known as Rajagopuram (royal temple tower) is 73m high and moves up in eleven progressively smaller tiers The temple annually hosts 21-day festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi (between December and January) which attracts over 1 million visitors
15 Union Government launches Food Regulatory Portal and Investor Facilitation Portal They were launched on the sidelines of World Food India 2017 Expo
Food Regulatory Portal
It was jointly launched by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries (MoFPI) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) It is a single interface for food businesses to cater to both domestic operations and food imports
The portal focuses on six key areas food standards consistent enforcement hassle free food imports credible food testing and codified food safety practices of food sector Standards pertaining to food sector have been notified on it to address concerns of food business across spectrum by ensuring ease of entry reduced burden of compliance and facilitating trade he added
Nivesh Bandhu
It is Investor Facilitation Portal to assist investors to make informed investment decisions It will provide information on Central and State Governments investor friendly policies agro-producing clusters infrastructure and potential areas of investment in the food processing sector
16 India was ranked low at 108th position out of 144 countries in Global Gender Gap Index 2017 released as part of World Economic Forumrsquos (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2017 India slipped by 21 places compared to 87th rank last year
Global Gender Gap Index
The index measures gender gap as progress towards parity between men and women in four indicators (i) Educational attainment (ii) Health and survival (iii) Economic opportunity and (iv) Political
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 31
works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 53
Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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empowerment Countries are ranked based scores on scale ranging from 0 (lowest ie imparity) to 1 (highest ie parity) It is released every year by WEF since 2006
Key Highlights of Global Gender Gap Index 2017
Iceland is most gender-equal country with score of 0878 It is followed by Norway (2 rank) Finland (3) Rwanda (4) and Sweden (5) Nicaragua (6) and Slovenia (7) Ireland (8) New Zealand (9) and the Philippines (10)
Overall 68 of global gender gap has been closed but it is slight deterioration is seen compared to 2016 when gap closed was 683 At current rate of progress global gender gap will take 100 years to bridge compared to 83 last year The case is worse in terms of workplace gender divide as it will take 217 years to close
Indiarsquos cumulative score was 0669 down from 0683 in 2016 India has successfully closed 67 of its gender gap less than many of its international peers Indiarsquos neighbours like Bangladesh ranked 47th ranked at 100th
Reasons for Indiarsquos lower ranking
It was mainly due to low scores in two indicators They are (i) Health and Survival India ranked 141 at bottom four It was mainly due to Indiarsquos poor sex ratio at birth which still points to a strong preference for sons (ii) Economic Participation and Opportunities for Women India ranked 139 down from 136 last year
Indiarsquos poor performance on economic front It was due to fact that on an average a woman in India is estimated to earn less than quarter of annual income earned by a man She gets paid only 60 of what her male counterpart gets for similar work Moreover women account for over third of labour force participation but their share of daily unpaid work (household chores childcare etc) is 65 while it is only 11 for men Across sectors only 13 of senior officials managers and legislators are women Other factors Fall in Indiarsquos ranking can be attributed to widening of its gender gaps in political empowerment as well as in healthy life expectancy and basic literacy Though India succeeded in fully closing its primary and secondary education enrolment gender gaps and very near to closing its tertiary education gender gap but its overall literacy rate still shows disparity between men (80) and women (59) Moreover in case women holding top political positions Indiarsquos ranks high at 15th position but the proportion of women in legislature is an abysmal 11
17 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made 20-digit Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) compulsory for companies having aggregate fund-based and non-fund based exposure over Rs 5 crore
The move is aimed at improving risk management in wake of huge stressed assets in banking system Before this RBI had made LEI mandatory for transactions in interest rate forex and credit derivative marke
Significance
LEI mechanism will help banks to effectively monitor debt exposure of corporate borrowers It will also enable banks in preventing multiple loans to companies against the same collateral
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)
LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide It is a global reference number that uniquely identifies every legal entity or structure that is party to a financial transaction in any jurisdiction LEI code has been conceived as key measure to improve quality and accuracy of financial data systems for better risk management post the global financial crisis
The LEI system was developed by G20 in response to inability of financial institutions to identify organisations uniquely so that their financial transactions in different national jurisdictions can be fully tracked The first LEIs were issued in December 2012
Legal Entity Identifier India Limited (LEIL) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) acts as a local operating unit (LOU) for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEIs) in India Besides entities can also obtain LEI from any of local operating units (LOUs) accredited by Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) ndash the entity tasked to support implementation and use of LEI
Listing timeline for implementing LEI
Borrowers with fund and non-fund exposure of Rs 1000 crore and above will have to get LEI by March 2018 Those having exposure between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1000 crore have to obtain LEI code by June 2018 and those having between Rs 100 crore and Rs 500 crore by March 2019
Separate roadmap for borrowers having exposure between Rs 5 crore and up to Rs 50 crore will be issued in due course Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per schedule will not be granted renewal or enhancement of credit facilities
LEIL will assign LEIs to any legal identity including but not limited to all intermediary institutions banks partnership companies mutual funds trusts holdings special purpose vehicles (SPVs) asset management companies and all other institutions being parties to financial transactions
18 The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power in partnership with Global Environment Facility (GEF) has launched Creating and Sustaining Markets for Energy Efficiency project
The project will help in recognizing Indiarsquos efforts towards a low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes Currently around two-thirds of total power generation capacity in India is based on fossil fuels By 2030 India is committed to achieve 40 of the installed capacity based on clean energy sources
Funding
Project will receive composite funding of $454 million comprised of $20 million GEF grant and co-financing of $434 million in form of loans and equity including $200 million loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) Further EESL also has proposed Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF) for sustainable funding mechanism of energy efficiency projects in country
Initiatives under this Project
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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New technologies of super-efficient ceiling fans tri-generation technologies amp smart grid-applications will be financed for proof testing Energy efficiency programmes like street lighting domestic lighting five-star rated ceiling fans and agricultural pumps will be undertaken EESL also has partnered with UN Environmentrsquos District Energy in Cities Initiative which has already identified $600 million of projects across five cities in India
Significance
The project is considered as significant step considering Indiarsquos efforts towards low emission-economy and focusing on energy efficiency programmes It will also create awareness in citizens especially among youth to encourage energy efficiency measures like use of electric vehicles energy efficient building codes etc It will also facilitate sustainable growth by addressing climate change issues boosting economy and generating greater employment in country
Global Environment Facility (GEF)
GEF is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities It addresses six designated focal areas biodiversity climate change international waters ozone depletion land degradation and Persistent Organic Pollutants
It was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planetrsquos most pressing environmental problems It unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions civil society organizations (CSOs) and private sector to address global environmental issues India has been a leading developing country participant in the GEF since its inception in 1991 and has played a major role in shaping GEF India is both donor and recipient of GEF
19 The Sri Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam has bagged an award of merit from Unesco for protecting and conserving cultural heritage thus becoming the first temple from Tamil Nadu to grab the prestigious honour from the UN body
Key facts
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the only religious centre in
the whole of South India to bag the award in 2017
The famous Christ Church in Mumbai and Royal
Bombay Opera House are the other historic Indian
monuments that received the Award of Merit this year in
addition to the temple
The temple was lauded by the international body for
undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over
Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 29
India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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About the award
Launched in 2000 Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at
acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in
the region comprising 48 countries
The awards are classified under four categories mdash Award of Excellence Awards of Distinction Awards of
Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context
They are being given to encourage the efforts of all
stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting
monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in
the Asia-Pacific region
20 Union Ministry of Water Resources River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has extended the term of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal by six months upto May 02 2018
Why was CWDT constituted
Cauvery is an inter‐State basin having its origin in Karnataka and flowing through Tamil Nadu and Puduchery
before outfalling in Bay of Bengal The sharing of waters of the Cauvery has been the source of a serious conflict
between the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and
1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Kingdom of Mysore
In this regard Government of India in June 1990 constituted the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal
(CWDT) to adjudicate the water dispute regarding inter‐state river Cauvery and the river valley thereof
among the States of Tamil Nadu Karnataka Kerala and Puducherry
Constitutional provisions on inter-state river water sharing
River waters use harnessing is included in states jurisdiction (entry 17 of state list Schedule 7 of Indian
Constitution) However union government can make laws on regulation and development of inter-State rivers and
river valleys when expedient in the public interest
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 32
satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Whenever the riparian states are not able to reach amicable agreements on their own in sharing of an
interstate river waters section 4 of The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) provides
dispute resolution process in the form of Tribunal
In case the constitutional rights of states are ingressed upon by the tribunal award in any manner central
government for extending purview of its enactment to implement the tribunal order is obliged to take the
consent of all riparian states under Article 252 of the constitution before publishing the tribunal awards in
the official gazette
Powers of the tribunal
Ambit As per the Act the tribunal shall not only adjudicate but also investigate the matters referred to it by the
central government and forward a report setting out the facts with its decisions
Verdict When the tribunal final verdict issued based on the deliberations on the draft verdict is accepted by the
central government and notified in the official gazette the verdict becomes law and binding on the states for
implementation When pronounced in the ambit of IRWD Act the tribunalrsquos verdict after its publication in the
official gazette is equivalent to Supreme Court verdict as per section 6 of IRWD Act
About IRWD Act
The Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under
Article 262 of Constitution on the eve of reorganization of states on linguistic basis to resolve the water disputes
that would arise in the use control and distribution of an interstate river or river valley
Article 262 of the Indian Constitution provides a role for the Central government in adjudicating
conflicts surrounding inter-state rivers that arise among the stateregional governments
Recently a permanent water dispute tribunal with its members from sitting judges of Supreme Court or
High courts is proposed to resolve the growing number of interstate river water disputes expeditiously
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Way ahead
Over the years the Cauvery water dispute has influenced the politics of the region with political parties stirring
emotions of people as the river has a deep cultural economic and religious significance for them This has now led
to a situation where public opinion has become more rigid making it difficult for political outfits to find a common
ground
Facts for Prelims
Cauvery river originates in Talakaveri in Kodagu district of Karnataka It flows 800 km in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu and reaches the Bay of Bengal through Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu The Cauvery basin covers about
81155 sq km area Out of this 43856 sq km is in Tamil Nadu 34273 sq km in Karnataka 2866 sq km in Kerala and
160 sq km in Puducherry
21 The Union government has proposed to establish commercial courts in districts to further improve the ease of doing business parameters Background
Legal remedy to commercial disputes and enforcement of business contracts are parameters of the World Bank
ranking In terms of ease of enforcing contracts India jumped from 172 to 164 Though the jump in the ranking
sounds small it is substantial given the diversities of laws in our country and the complex demography
Indiarsquos performance has been varied within the legal framework For example the World Bankrsquos ranking marked
ldquocourt system and proceedings in Indiardquo 45 out of a total of 5 but in management of cases it was 15 out of 6 India
also fared well in alternative dispute redress mechanism and scored 25 out of a total of 3 marks
About commercial courts
On January 1 2016 the Commercial Courts Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High
Courts Bill 2015 received Presidential assent
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It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 28
It contemplates setting up commercial courts at the district level and commercial divisions and appellate divisions at
the high court level It seeks to completely transform the manner in which commercial cases are heard and tried in
India
Functions of various stakeholders It stipulates various functions to be performed by three key players namely
state governments chief justices of high courts and lawyerslitigants All state governments have to ensure that
adequate infrastructure is provided for commercial courts and commercial divisions so that modern methods like
electronic filing and video conferencing can be implemented without delay
Chief justices have huge responsibility in implementing this Act by setting up commercial courts in various
districts and by designating or setting up commercial divisions in the high courts which also need to issue practice
directions to implement the provisions of this Act
What is a commercial dispute
A commercial dispute is defined to include any dispute related to transactions between merchants bankers
financiers traders etc Such transactions deal with mercantile documents partnership agreements intellectual
property rights insurance etc
22 The power ministry has engaged postmen for door-to-door survey to expedite the Saubhagya scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for complete household electrification by December 2018
Key facts
India Post through its network 173 lakh outlets has begun collecting data on un-electrified households
spread over three states of Odisha Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Similar initiatives are being
launched in Assam and Jharkhand
The data for a total 175 lakh villages in the five states is likely to be submitted in a month The data is
being uploaded online through a web portal and a mobile application by the postmen called lsquoGram Dak
Sewaksrsquo by the postal department
The web portal and the application have been created and are being monitored by staterun Rural
Electrification Corp
Why postmen have been chosen for this task
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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India Post is the only organisation which has permanent link with each and every household in the country It has
arrangements in place for delivery of mails to each of about 594 lakh inhabited villages in the country from the
nearest post offices
The data will help the Central government in speedy assessment of project reports that will be submitted by states
seeking grant under the Saubhagya Scheme
About Saubhagya Scheme
The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana -Saubhagya- launched in September with over Rs 16000
crore outlay for universal household electrification will cover a total of 300 lakh householdsndash250 lakh households
in rural areas and 50 lakh in urban areas
As per scheme the states will have to submit detailed project reports to the Centre Projects would be
sanctioned based on the detailed project reports to be submitted by the states
23 For year-round border security and ensure better connectivity along the entire Line of Actual Control India is planning to construct tunnels on China border
Benefits of tunnels
Land acquisition and forest clearance are relatively easier for tunnels
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Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 30
Tunnels reduce the operational cost of vehicles and reduce the need for deploying troops for security duties
in sensitive areas
They help avoid situations where military posts remain cut off for six months due to snowfall or rain
Furthermore the Himalayan ranges with its fragile geology has a history of earthquakes landslides and
avalanches
24 The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) the global anti- money laundering watchdog has put Pakistan on
notice for terror financing
FATF has sought from Pakistan notwithstanding opposition from China a compliance report by February
2018 on action taken against terror groups such as LeT and JuD
FATF has asked Pakistan to do more to freeze assets of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-
ud-Dawa
Background
The decision was taken at the recently held Buenos Aires plenary of the FATF where India raised the issue of
Pakistanrsquos support for terror group at the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) meet Terror financing
was a key theme at the FATF meet in the Argentine capital
About FATF
What is it-The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the
initiative of the G7 It is a ldquopolicy-making bodyrdquo which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about
national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas
Objectives-The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal
regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering terrorist financing and other related threats to
the integrity of the international financial system
What it does-The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures reviews
money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures and promotes the adoption and
implementation of appropriate measures globally In collaboration with other international stakeholders the FATF
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from
misuse
25 Indian Navy is likely to use advanced catapult-based aircraft launch mechanism (CATOBAR) from United States for its second indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-II) which is on drawing board
In this regard both countries have held several rounds of discussions in joint working group (JWG) on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) under Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) set up by them
EMALS
For some time India was exploring possibility of installing US electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) The US has offered India its latest EMALS technology developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc EMALS uses electric motor-driven catapult instead which allows launch of much heavier aircraft and reduces stress on aircraft whereas older-generation CATOBAR is powered by steam catapult It will allow Indian Navy to operate heavy surveillance aircraft in addition to heavy fighters However the system is expensive something that needs to be factored in
Background
The IAC-II has been envisaged to be around 65000 tonnes and capable of carrying over 50 aircraft Indian Navy is keen on nuclear propulsion which will give it unlimited range and endurance its development in time seems doubtful Indiarsquos first domestic carrier Vikrant weighing 40000 tonnes is in an advanced stage of construction in Kochi (Kerala) It is scheduled to be launched by 2018-end It works on Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) mechanism similar to that in present carrier INS Vikramaditya with an angular ski-jump
26 China successfully launched two BeiDou-3 satellites named BeiDou-3 M1 and BeiDou-3 M2 into space on board of single carrier rocket Long March-3B from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern province of Sichuan
These two satellites and carrier rocket were developed by China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively
Key Facts
The two newly-launched satellites represent third phase of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System They will reside in a medium-Earth orbit at an altitude of 21500 kilometers inclined 555 degrees These two satellites represent third phase of BDS system (BeiDou-3) It is the final stage of the establishment of a Chinese space-based navigation architecture
BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
The BeiDou project was formally initiated in 1994 It was named after Chinese term for plough or Big Dipper constellation It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 This system will provide services for countries involved in Belt and Road Initiative and form complete global
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 33
frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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satellite navigation system by 2020 by which time China plans to have more than 30 satellites It will make China third country in world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
27 Scientists have discovered most ancient spiral galaxy known as A1689B11 recorded so far in the universe It was detected using powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) on Gemini North telescope in Hawaii Gravitational lenses are naturersquos largest telescopes created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter
Key Facts
The A1689B11 galaxy was born 11 billion years ago and existed just 26 billion years after Big Bang when universe was only one-fifth of its present age It sits behind a massive cluster of galaxies that acts as lens which scientists used to produce magnified images The bending of cluster magnified light of galaxies behind it in manner similar to an ordinary lens but on much larger scale A1689B11 has very cool and thin disc rotating calmly with surprisingly little turbulence unlike other galaxies of the same epoch
Significance
Studying ancient spirals like A1689B11 can provide insights into early cosmos It will help in unlocking mystery of how and when Hubble sequence emerges Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in early universe and this discovery opens door to investigating how galaxies transition from highly chaotic turbulent discs to tranquil thin discs like those of our own Milky Way galaxy
28 The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has released lsquoThe Paradise Papersrsquo a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies
Among 180 countries represented in the data India ranks 19th in terms of number of names In all names of 714 Indians have figured in this largest ever black money data leak
Key Facts
The Paradise Papers are set of 134 million documents mainly from Appleby an offshore law firm with offices in Bermuda and beyond related to offshore investment in some of the worldrsquos most secretive countries The files were first obtained by German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with ICIJ and partner 95 media outlets They contain the names of more than 120000 people and companies across the globe Big companies like Facebook Apple Microsoft EBay Uber Glencore Nike Walmart Allianz Siemens McDonaldrsquos and Yahoo were also named in it
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
The ICIJ is global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories It was founded in 1997 by respected American journalist Chuck Lewis It was launched as a project of Centre for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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frontiers corruption cross-border crime and accountability of power It is headquartered in Washington DC US Earlier in 2016 it had released Panama Papers
29 Coastal Berth Scheme
It aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passenger by sea or national waterways The admissible financial assistance under the scheme from Central Government is 50 of total cost of project
The financial assistance is also provided for preparation of DPRs for projects considered under this scheme The balance expenditure will be incurred by respective Portsconcerned State Governments (including State Maritime Boards) from their own resources
30 Projects under the scheme will help to promote coastal shipping and increase its share in domestic cargo movement in India Better infrastructure for coastal shipping built under it will help to decongest rail and road network besides ensuring cost competitive and effective multi-modal transportation solution
Sagarmala Project
The Sagarmala project aims to promote port-led development along Indiarsquos 7500 km long coastline by developing string of ports around coast It envisages transforming existing ports into modern world class ports as well as developing new ones It also aims to develop efficient evacuation systems through road rail inland and coastal waterways The Ministry of Shipping is nodal ministry for this initiative
Three key components of Sagarmala project are Port Modernization Efficient Evacuation Systems and Coastal Economic Development It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond
30 The year 2017 is ldquovery likelyrdquo to be in the top three warmest years on record according to provisional figures from the World Meteorological Organization
Factors responsible for this Absence of the El Nintildeo phenomenon The long-term trend of warming driven by human activities continues unabated Concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere are the highest on record
About WMO What is it The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to meteorology (weather) climatology (climate) operational hydrology (water) and other related geophysical sciences such as oceanography and atmospheric chemistry
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 34
What does WMO do WMO coordinates the activities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in 191 States and
Territories so that basic weather climate and water services are made available to anyone who needs them when they need them
WMO guarantees the publication of observations and statistics and furthers the application of meteorology and hydrology (including the monitoring and predictions of climate change and ozone) to all aspects of human activities such as aviation shipping water management and agriculture
WMO also encourages research and training in meteorology and hydrology and their related applications and contributes towards reducing the impact of weather- and climate-related hazards This is accomplished through regular reliable forecasts and early warnings on flooding drought tropical cyclones tornadoes and other extreme events
Predictions concerning locust swarms and the transport of pollutants (nuclear and toxic substances volcanic ash) are also provided by WMO Members
31 Reserve Bank deputy governor NSVishwanathan recently said the introduction of a public credit registry will further speed up digitisation that has already changed the way banking is done in the country
About Public Credit Registry What is it The PCR will be an extensive database of credit information for India that is accessible to all stakeholders The idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower and in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes
Management of PCR Generally a PCR is managed by a public authority like the central bank or the banking supervisor and reporting of loan details to the PCR by lenders andor borrowers is mandated by law The contractual terms and outcomes covered and the threshold above which the contracts are to be reported vary in different jurisdictions but the idea is to capture all relevant information in one large database on the borrower in particular the borrowerrsquos entire set of borrowing contracts and outcomes Benefits of having a PCR
A PCR can potentially help banks in credit assessment and pricing of credit as well as in making risk-based dynamic and counter-cyclical provisioning
The PCR can also help the RBI in understanding if transmission of monetary policy is working and if not where are the bottlenecks
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 35
Further it can help supervisors regulators and banks in early intervention and effective restructuring of stressed bank credits
A PCR will also help banks and regulators as credit information is a lsquopublic goodrsquo and its utility is to the credit market at large and to society in general
32 The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is hosting the 23rd annual conference at Bonn Germany
Whatrsquos in the COP 23 The conference named as COP23 is being held to further the provisions of the Paris Agreement and achieve results in the execution guidelines While the aim of the event is much larger nations attending the
COP23 are scheduled to finalise the rulebook of the Paris Agreement This process was started in Marrakesh 2016 meet These rules will dictate how the Agreement would be monitored and executed It will change the famous 1997 Kyoto Protocol by 2020
The rulebook will include new international standards for measuring carbon emissions These standards will ensure comparison of efforts made by various countries However a few negotiators like the US deny the impacts of climate change and argue that the efforts cost a huge amount of resources
Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement is meant to make sure that the average surface temperature all over the world does not rise above two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times To achieve this goal countries have promised under the Paris Agreement to take a variety of self-determined actions to restrain the current rate of global warming
About UNFCCC The UNFCCC was adopted in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit which marked the beginning of the international communityrsquos first concerted effort to confront the problem of climate change Known also as the Rio Convention the UNFCCC established a framework for action to stabilise concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earthrsquos atmosphere The UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 and nearly all of the worldrsquos nationsmdasha total of 195mdashhave now signed on
33 India has pledged an additional USD 100 million towards the UN partnership fund significantly scaling up its support to sustainable development projects across the developing world
About the India-UN Development Partnership Fund What is it The India-UN Development Partnership Fund was set up as a partnership between India and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) What is it for Managed by UNOSSC the fund will support Southern-owned and led demand-driven and transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world Focusing on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States United Nations agencies will implement the Fundrsquos projects in close collaboration with partnering governments Focus areas Reducing poverty and hunger improving health education and equality and expanding access to clean water and energy
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34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 36
34 The famous Banaganapalle mangoes of Andhra Pradesh and Tulaipanji rice of West Bengal are among the seven commodities that have been granted Geographical Indication (GI) this fiscal year by the Indian patent office The other five products which have received the GI tag this year include Pochampally Ikat of Telangana Gobindobhog rice of West Bengal Durgi stone carvings and Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh and Chakshesang shawl of Nagaland
About GI tag
What is it A GI is primarily an agricultural natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory Significance of a GI tag Typically such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin Security Once the GI protection is granted no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products It also provides comfort to customers about the authenticity of that product Examples Darjeeling tea Tirupati laddu Kangra paintings Nagpur orange and Kashmir pashmina are among the registered GIs in India
35 Scientists have detected dust belts around Proxima Centauri a finding that indicates the presence of an elaborate planetary system hosted by the closest star to the solar system
Key facts These new observations were made by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile The
new ALMA observations reveal emission from clouds of cold cosmic dust surrounding the star ALMA observatory revealed the glow coming from cold dust in a region between one to four times as far from
Proxima Centauri as the Earth is from the Sun The data also hints at the presence of an even cooler outer dust belt and may indicate the presence of a system
of planets These structures are similar to the much larger belts in the solar system and are also expected to be made from particles of rock and ice that failed to form planets
About Proxima Centauri What is it Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun It is a faint red dwarf lying just four light years away in the southern constellation of Centaurus It is orbited by the Earth-sized temperate world Proxima b discovered in 2016 and the closest exoplanet to the solar system
IS PROXIMA B HABITABLE Proxima b orbits its star at a distance of 005 astronomical units which is well within the habitable zone In a recent study researchers calculated different possible
radii and compositions for the planet They say Proxima b may be an lsquoocean planetrsquo with water similar to the subsurface oceans seen on icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn
According to this theory the planet would have a radius of 5543 miles (8920km) and made up of 50 rock and 50 water that forms a massive ocean Along with this it would have a thin gas atmosphere like Earthrsquos
In another scenario they say Proxima b could be lsquovery
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 37
dense planetrsquo with a metal core that accounts for 65 of its mass while the rest is a rocky silicate mantle This would occur at a radius of just 3722 miles (5990km) giving it a make-up similar to Mercuryrsquos
36 China which is building its own navigation system to rival United States GPS has launched two BeiDou-3 satellites into space though a single carrier rocket The satellites were launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite
System About BeiDou project What is it Named after the Chinese term for the plough or the Big Dipper constellation the BeiDou
project was formally initiated in 1994 It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012 If everything goes according to the plan China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system
Operational area Beidou currently consists of 10 satellites and covers a swath of the Asia-Pacific region from
Australia in the south to Russia in the north The system is accurate to within 82 feet (25 meters) and now serves China and surrounding areas on a pilot basis
Significance The emergence of Beidou should make China far less dependent on the GPS constellation
which is operated by the United States military and is currently the worldrsquos dominant satellite navigation network
37 About Kambala
What is it
Kambla in its traditional form is non-competitive with buffalo pairs made to race one after another in paddy fields
which is considered a thanksgiving to the Gods for protecting the animals from diseases
Why it has become controversial
Over the years it has however become an organised sport with animal rights activists claiming that the buffaloes run
in the race due to fear of being beaten which the organizers dismiss saying no violence is involved and that several
modifications had been made to ensure that it is an animal friendly event
38 About SHe- Box
What is it
It is an online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to lodge
complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 38
How it operates
Once a complaint is submitted to the portal it will be directly sent to the ICCLCC of the concerned employer
Through this portal the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare as well as complainant can monitor the progress of
inquiry conducted by the ICCLCC
Key features
The new SHe-Box portal offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace
to all women employees in the country including government and private employees
Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint
through this portal
SHe-Box will also provide a platform to various empanelled institutesorganisations to share their capacity
building activities with the Ministry which in turn will be able to monitor the activities of these
institutesorganizations so empanelled from across the country
39 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has amended its Corporate Insolvency Resolution
Process Regulations to ensure that as part of due diligence prior to approval of a Resolution Plan the
antecedents credit worthiness and credibility of a Resolution Applicant including promoters are taken into
account by the Committee of Creditors
This move is aimed at ensuring that the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process results in a credible and viable
Resolution Plan
About IBBI
What is it
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code 2016 (Code) It is a unique regulator regulates a profession as well as transactions
Functions
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 39
It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals Insolvency Professional Agencies and
Information Utilities
It writes and enforces rules for transactions namely corporate insolvency resolution corporate liquidation
individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code
It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends
the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons partnership firms and
individuals
This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons to promote
entrepreneurship availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders
Organizational structure of IBBI
The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman Following is the structure of the IBBI
One Chairperson
Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent
One nominated member from the RBI
Five members nominated by the Central Government of these three shall be whole-time members
40 The government has launched lsquoGrahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran Apprsquo benefitting customers of Coal India Limited (CIL) lifting coal through road mode
About the App
What is it
The app is for the benefit of customers lifting coal through road mode It is a step towards transparency in the
system of loading programme and despatch
Significance of the app
It helps achieve transparency in despatch operations as a tool to monitor whether the despatches are made on the
fair principle of lsquoFirst in First Outrsquo and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical
delivery of coal by road
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 40
Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 42
About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 43
45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 48
49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Benefits
The main benefits of the App for the customers against the Sale Orders issued include easy accessibility of the
information at the click of the button apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and despatch
The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes It further helps in
improved planning of procurement production and stock management by the customers
Key features of the app
It provides date-wise truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related
to Scheme-wise Colliery-wise Grade-wise customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period
In terms of loading it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources truck by truck
and summary of the dispatch
41 A Financing Agreement for IBRD loan of US$ 119 million (equivalent) for the ldquoOdisha Higher Education
Programme for Excellence amp Equity (OHEPEE) Projectrdquo was recently signed between India and the World Bank
About OHEPEE project
The Objective of the project is to improve the quality of lsquostudentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions and
enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha
Project Component Result Areas are (I) Improved quality of and studentsrsquo equitable access to selected institutions
of higher education Institutional Development Plan (IDP) Grants (performance ndashbased Financing (II) Enhanced
governance of the higher education system (i)Improvement of governance in colleges (ii)Improvement of financial
and procurement management and accounting in all government and government-aided colleges
About IBRD
What is it
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) is an international financial institution that
offers loans to middle-income developing countries The IBRD is the first of five member institutions that compose
the World Bank Group It was established in 1944 with the mission of financing the reconstruction of European
nations devastated by World War II
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What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 41
What it does
The IBRD provides commercial-grade or concessional financing to sovereign states to fund projects that seek to
improve transportation and infrastructure education domestic policy environmental consciousness energy
investments healthcare access to food and potable water and access to improved sanitation
42 About NIRBHAY missile
What is it It is Indiarsquos first indigenously designed and developed Long Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile which can
be deployed from multiple platforms
Key features
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy The missile
has a range of more than 1000 km
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 07 Mach at altitudes as low as 100 m
Its relatively slow flight speed allows it to navigate its way precisely to the target
The Nirbhay cruise missile is an Indian version of the American Tomahawk
The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land sea and air
43 Chennai now part of UNESCOrsquos lsquocreative cities networkrsquo
Chennai has been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition Including
Chennai a total of 64 cities from 44 countries have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Jaipur and
Varanasi are the other Indian cities that feature on the list
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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About Creative Cities Network
What is it
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities
that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Objective
The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective placing creativity
and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the
international level
The Network covers seven creative fields Crafts and Folk Arts Media Arts Film Design Gastronomy Literature
and Music
44 The recently held second meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA) was chaired by the Union Home
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh The Island Development Agency reviewed the concept development plans and detailed
master plans for holistic development of 09 islands ndash four in AampN Islands ie Smith Ross Long Avis and five in
Lakshadweep ie Minicoy Bangaram Thinnakara Cheriyam Suheli
About the Island Development Agency (IDA)
What is it
The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modirsquos review meeting for the
development of islands The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister
Composition
Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary home secretary secretary (environment forests and climate change)
secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare)
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45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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45 The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ministry of Commerce amp Industry Government of
India has signed an Institutional agreement with Anna University to establish Indiarsquos second Technology and
Innovation Support Center (TISC) at the Centre for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR) Anna University Chennai
under the World Intellectual Property Organizationrsquos (WIPO) TISC program
Indiarsquos first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will come up at Patent Information Centre Punjab
What is it
These centres will be set up under WIPOrsquos Technology and
Innovation Support Centers (TISC) program The programme
provides innovators in developing countries with access to
locally based high quality technology information and related
services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and
to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP)
rights
The objective of the TISC ndash is to stimulate a dynamic
vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
system in India to foster creativity and innovation thereby
promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social economic
and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India
Key facts
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the
TISC national network
As the national focal point CIPAM will identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and
support them in joining the TISC project
CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all
the activities of the national TISC network
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 44
Services offered by TISCs may include
Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications
Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information
Training in database search
On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement)
Monitoring technology and competitors
Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology
commercialization and marketing
46 China recently counselled India to shed its objections to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and take
advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which had already drawn wide international support
India was among a handful of countries that had skipped attendance in Beijing of the Belt and Road Forum in May
objecting to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which passed through Kashmir
About BRI
What is it
The initiative is the centrepiece of Chinarsquos foreign policy and domestic economic strategy It aims to rejuvenate
ancient trade routesndashSilk Routesndashwhich will open up markets within and beyond the region Through this initiative
Chinarsquos plan is to construct roads railways ports and other infrastructure across Asia and beyond to bind its
economy more tightly to the rest of the world
Is the initiative a threat or an opportunity for India
The answer undoubtedly ticks both boxes Chinese political expansion and economic ambitions are two sides of the
same coin To be firm while responding to one facet while making use of the opportunities that become available
from the other will largely depend on the institutional agency and strategic imagination India is able to bring to the
table
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 45
47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 46
The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 47
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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47 The 2017 IEA Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Paris The focus of the meeting was on global energy
challenges and how they can be overcome
Participants included representatives from the 29 IEA member countries accession countries Chile and Mexico
association countries China India Indonesia Morocco Singapore and Thailand and partner countries Brazil and
South Africa CEOs from 30 top global energy companies also attended the meeting
About IEA
What is it
Founded in 1974 the IEA was
initially designed to help countries
co-ordinate a collective response to
major disruptions in the supply of
oil such as the crisis of 19734
While this remains a key aspect of
its work the IEA has evolved and
expanded significantly
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The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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The four main areas of IEA focus are
Energy Security Promoting diversity efficiency flexibility and reliability for all fuels and energy sources
Economic Development Supporting free markets to foster economic growth and eliminate energy poverty
Environmental Awareness Analysing policy options to offset the impact of energy production and use on
the environment especially for tackling climate change and air pollution and
Engagement Worldwide Working closely with partner countries especially major emerging economies to
find solutions to shared energy and environmental concerns
Functions
The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil gas and coal supply and demand
renewable energy technologies electricity markets energy efficiency access to energy demand side
management and much more
Through its work the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability affordability and
sustainability of energy in its member countries and beyond
48 India has demanded transparency in the UN Security Council reform process so that the
people could know what is preventing the members from translating discussions into a
negotiating text for the much- needed revamping of the world bodyrsquos top organ
About UNSC
What is it
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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the organs of the United Nations and is charged with the
maintenance of international peace and security Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations
the establishment of international sanctions and the authorization of military action through Security Council
resolutions it is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states
Members
The Security Council consists of fifteen members Russia the United Kingdom France China and the
United Statesmdashserve as the bodyrsquos five permanent members These permanent members can veto any
substantive Security Council resolution including those on the admission of new member states or
candidates for Secretary-General
The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected on a regional basis to serve two-year
terms The bodyrsquos presidency rotates monthly among its members
Proposed reforms
Reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) encompasses five key issues categories of membership the
question of the veto held by the five permanent members regional representation the size of an enlarged Council
and its working methods and the Security Council-General Assembly relationship There is also a proposal to admit
more permanent members
Why India should be given a permanent seat in the council
India was among the founding members of United Nations
It is the second largest and a one of the largest constant contributor of troops to United Nations
Peacekeeping missions
Today India has over 8500 peacekeepers in the field more than twice as many as the UNrsquos five big
powers combined
India since long time has been demanding expansion of UNSC and its inclusion as permanent member in
it It has been a member of UNSC for 7 terms and a member of G-77 and G-4 so permanent membership is
a logical extension
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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49 The advisory group set up to suggest changes to the GST Act recently deliberated on how to expand the scope
of the composition scheme as well as rationalise the reverse charge mechanism process
About the Composition scheme
What is it -The composition scheme is an alternative method of levy of tax designed for small taxpayers whose
turnover is up to Rs 1 crore mdash Rs 50 lakh in the case of eight north-eastern states and the hilly state of Himachal
Pradesh
The objective behind it is to bring simplicity and reduce the compliance cost for small taxpayers
Benefits
While a regular taxpayer has to pay taxes on a monthly basis a composition supplier is required to file only one
return and pay taxes on a quarterly basis Also a composition taxpayer is not required to keep detailed records that a
normal taxpayer is supposed to maintain
Key facts The scheme is optional under which manufacturers other than those of ice cream pan masala and
tobacco products have to pay a 2 tax on their annual turnover The tax rate is 5 for restaurant services and 1
for traders
As per the Central GST Act businesses are eligible to opt for the composition scheme if a person is not
engaged in any inter-state outward supplies of goods and not into making any supply of goods through an
electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
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अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 49
50 Asian Boxing Championships
Mary Kom has won the gold medal in the Asian Boxing Championships in the Light Flyweight category defeating
DPRthinspKorearsquos Kim Hyang Mi This is Mary Komrsquos sixth medal in the Asian Womenrsquos Boxing Championships and
fifth gold medal having won four gold medals and one silver medal in previous editions of the tournament
1सवदश म वक सत हलक वजन वाल गाइडड बम lsquoसॉrsquo (एसएएडबलय समाट एनट एयरफ लड वीपन) का
ओ डशा क चाद पर ि थत आईट आर रज म भारतीय वायसना क वमान स सफल पर ण कया गया वमान स
नकल गाइडड बम न स म नवीगशन णाल का उपयोग करत ह ए 70 कलोमीटर दर ि थत ल य को प रश ता
क साथ ापत कया व भनन ि थ तय और द रय को धयान म रखत ह ए तीन पर ण कय गय और सभी
सफल रह इस गाइडड बम का वकास डीआरडीओ क अनय वभाग और भारतीय वाय सना क सहायता स
डीआरडीओ क रसच सनटर इमारत (आरसीआई) वारा कया गया ह
2 आज (2 नवबर 2017) नई द ल म 21व व व मान सक वा य स मलन का उ घाटन कया यह
स मलन कय रग फाउडशन व अ य सगठन क सहयोग स व ड फडरशन फॉर मटल ह थ वारा आयोिजत कया
गया ह
रा य मा नसक वा य सव 2016 क अनसार भारत क कल जनस या का 14 तशत मान सक वा य क
सम या स पी ड़त ह
मान सक वा य चनौ तय स नपटन म एक बड़ी सम या ह मानव ससाधन क कमी 125 करोड़ लोग क दश
म सफ 7 लाख डॉ टर ह मान सक वा य क म यह कमी और भी गभीर ह हमार दश म लगभग 5000
मनो च क सक और 2000 स भी कम मनोव ा नक ि ल नक ह
रा य मान सक वा य काय म दश म 22 उ क टता क का नमाण कर रहा ह िजला तर पर मान सक
वा य काय म क तहत भारत क कल 650 िजल म स 517 को कवर कया गया ह मान सक वा य को
जमीनी तर पर ल जान क को शश क जा रह ह
3 भारतीय सना और कज़ा ख़ तान क बीच आज स हमाचल दश क बाकलो म चौदह दन क सय त श ण
अ यास lsquo बल दो तक 2017rsquo का शभारभ हआ इस सय त अ यास का उ य दोन दश क बीच स य सबध
को बढ़ान क अलावा दोन सनाओ क आत रक- मता को मजबत बनाना ह
4 डाक टकट स ह को ोतसाहन दन क लए द नदयाल lsquoसपशrsquo योजना का शभारभ-lsquoसपशrsquo योजना क तहत क ा
VI स IX तक उन बचच को वा षक तौर पर छा वि त द जाएगी िजनका श णक प रणाम अचछा ह और
िजनह न डाक टकट स ह को एक च क प म चना हक ा VI VII VIII और IX म तयक स 10 छा
का चयन कया जाएगा छा वि त क रा श त माह 500 पय (6000 पय वा षक) हजो सकल इस
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 50
तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
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From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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तयो गता म भाग लगा उस वखयात डाक स हकताओ क सची म स एक मागदशक चनन का अवसर दया
जाएगा यह मागदशक सकल सतर पर डाक टकट कलब क सथापना म सहायता दान करगा और यवा डाक
टकट स हकताओ को मागदशन दान करगा
5 शम-अल-शख म म आयोिजत व व यवा गो ठ -उ य पर व व स यवाओ को म य वि वक नी त नधारक
स जोड़ना हअ य बात क अलावा यापार म यवाओ क भ मका भ वषय क नताओ क नमाण म नवीन
प तया चनौ तया लग समानता और म हला सशि तकरण क वषय स म लत ह ग
6 कलबफट ह डी स सब धत खराबी ह जो जनम क समय स होती ह य द ारभ म इसका इलाज नह होता ह
तो इसस सथायी वकलागता हो सकती ह यह बचच क सामानय प स चलन और उसक आतम वशवास को
भा वत करता ह
7 ज म-क मीर स म हलाओ क समह lsquoसवाrsquo lsquoस फ ए लावाइड वम स एसो सएशनrsquo (सवा) नाग रक काय
काय म (सीएपी) क तहत म हला आधा रत क याण योजना कपवाड़ा म lsquoसवाrsquo क ज रए चलाई जा रह ह
8 आईएनएस घ ड़याल भारतीय नौसना का दसरा ल डग शप टक (लाज) ह कल ह यह जमीन और पानी दोन
जगह काम करता ह यह मकनाइ ड इफ क साथ जड़ा हआ ह और दोन एक-दसर का बराबर सहयोग करत ह
9 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क आईडीए न 9
वीप क सम वकास क लए व तत मा टर लान और वकास योजनाओ क अवधारणा क समी ा क इन 9 पीप म
चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम थ नकारा चरयम
सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क अथ यव था क वकास को
ो साहन दना ह
10 काय थल पर म हला यौन उ पीड़न (रोकथाम नषध और नवारण) अ ध नयम 2013 का भावी काया वयन स नि चत
करन क लए आज नई द ल म शी-बॉ स का शभारभ कया गया
नए शी-बॉ स पोटल पर सरकार और नजी कमचा रय स हत दश क सभी म हला क मय क लए काय थल पर यौन
उ पीड़न क ऑनलाइन शकायत दज करन क स वधा ह यौन उ पीड़न अ ध नयम क अतगत ग ठत सब धत आत रक
शकायत स म त (आईसीसी) या थानीय शकायत स म त (एलसीसी) म पहल स ह ल खत शकायत दज करवान वाल
म हलाए भी इस पोटल क ज रए अपनी शकायत दज करवा सकती ह
व व तर पर चलाए जा रह सोशल मी डया क अ भयान MeToo को दखत ह ए यह म हला और बाल वकास म ालय का
सकारा मक कदम ह िजसम म हलाए यौन उ पीड़न और उ पीड़न झलन क अपन अनभव साझा करती ह
11 र ा अनसधान एव वकास सगठन (डीआरडीओ) न आज नभय का सफल उड़ान पर ण कर एक और शसनीय काय
कया यह भारत म न मत पहल वदशी डजाइन वाल लबी रज क सब-सो नक ज मसाइल ह िजस कई लटफाम स
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 51
तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
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Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
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and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
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The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
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What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
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19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
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The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
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तनात कया जा सकता ह यह एक कत पर ण रज (आईट आर) चाद पर ओ डशा स सफलतापवक छोड़ा गया इस मसाइल
म 100 मीटर तक क कम ऊचाई पर 07 मक पर ल य को भदन क मता ह मसाइल का मागदशन नय ण और न वगशन
णाल को जीपीएस णाल क साथ-साथ वदशी डजाइन कए गए रग लजर यॉ को कोप (आरएलजी) और एमईएमएस
आधा रत इि टयल न वगशन स टम (आईएनएस) क आसपास बनाया गया था मसाइल न कल 50 मनट क भवय उड़ान
म 647 कमी क रज को ा त कया
12 lsquoउ क टता और समानता क लए ओ डशा उ च श ा काय म (ओएचईपीईई) प रयोजनाrsquo हत 119 म लयन
डॉलर (समत य) क आईबीआरडी ऋण क लए आज यहा व व बक क साथ एक व तीय समझौत पर ह ता र
कए गए
प रयोजना क उ य ओ डशा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और इनम lsquoछा rsquo क समान पह च तथा
उ च श ा णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना ह
प रयोजना घटक प रणाम ह (I) उ च श ा क चय नत स थान क गणव ता म सधार और छा क वहा तक
यायसगत पह च स थागत वकास योजना (आईडीपी) अनदान ( दशन आधा रत व तपोषण) (II) उ च श ा
णाल म सशासन को बढ़ावा दना (i) कॉलज म सशासन म सधार (ii) सभी सरकार और सरकार अनदान ा त
कॉलज म व तीय और खर द बधन तथा लखाकन म सधारयह प रयोजना 30 नवबर 2022 को समा त होगी
13 एनडीएमए न आपदा बधन क लए यएवी क उपयोग -यएवी दगम थान क उ च- मता वाल र यल-
टाइम त वीर दान कर सकत ह इन त वीर क आधार पर आपदा का सट क न शा बनाया जा सकता ह
इसस आपदा बधन क कायवा हय को नि चत करन म मदद मल सकती ह आपदा क बाद वाल ि थ त म भी
यएवी का इ तमाल कम समय म उ च मता वाल न श बनाए जा सकत ह इसस आपदा बधन क ग त व रत
और भावी क जा सकती ह
14 ी करन रिजज न आज यहा रा य आपदा बधन ा धकरण (एनडीएमए) और फसबक वारा सय त प
स आयोिजत lsquoभारत आपदा मोचन शखर स मलनrsquo का उ घाटन कया इस दौरान आपदा म और उसक बाद क
ि थ त म lsquoतयार मोचन और इसस बाहर नकलनrsquo म सोशल मी डया क मच का कस अ धक लाभ उठाया जाए पर
चचा होगी
15 गह म ी ी राजनाथ सह न आज यहा वीप वकास एजसी (आईडीए) क दसर बठक क अ य ता क इन
9 पीप म चार ए और एन वीपसमह ि मथ रॉस लाग ए वस तथा पाच ल वीप यानी म नकॉय बगारम
थ नकारा चरयम सहल शा मल ह नी त आयोग वारा सचा लत प रयोजना का उ य इन वीप क साम क
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 53
Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 52
अथ यव था क वकास को ो साहन दना ह islands namely Smith Ross Aves Long and Little Andaman in
Andaman amp Nicobar and Minicoy Bangaram Suheli Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep
16 भारत सरकार क वा ण य एव उ योग म ालय क औ यो गक नी त एव सवधन वभाग (डीआईपीपी) न व व
बौ क सपदा सगठन ( वपो) क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत च नई ि थत अ ना व व व यालय क बौ क
सपदा अ धकार सगठन (सीआईपीआर) म भारत का वतीय ौ यो गक एव नवाचार सहायता क
(ट आईएससी) क थापना क लए अ ना व व व यालय क साथ एक स थागत समझौत पर ह ता र कए
ह वपो क ट आईएससी काय म क तहत वकासशील दश क अ वषक (इनोवटर) क पह च थानीय उ च
गणव ता वाल ौ यो गक सचनाओ एव सब धत सवाओ तक सभव हो जाती ह िजसस उनक अ भनव खोज
मता का दोहन करन तथा उनक बौ क सपदा अ धकार (आईपीआर) क सजन सर ण एव बधन म मदद
मलती हट आईएससी का उ य भारत म एक ग तशील जीवत तथा सत लत बौ क सपदा अ धकार
(आईपीआर) णाल को ो सा हत करना ह ता क भारत म अनक ट आईएससी का एक नटवक था पत कर
रचना मकता एव नवाचार को बढ़ावा दया जा सक और इस तरह उ य मता को ो साहन दना तथा सामािजक
आ थक एव सा क तक वकास म तजी लाना सभव हो सक
Services offered by TISCs may include bull Access to online patent and non-patent (scientific and technical) resources and IP-related publications bull Assistance in searching and retrieving technology information bull Training in database search bull On-demand searches (novelty state-of-the-art and infringement) bull Monitoring technology and competitors bull Basic information on industrial property laws management and strategy and technology commercialization and marketing
17 ज वक क ष व व कभ 2017 क ष व व कभ का आयोजन तीन साल म एक बार द नया क कसी दश म होता
ह इस बार यह भारत म हो रहा ह पछला कभ 2014 म इ ताबल म हआ था आयोजन को इटरनशनल फडरशन
ऑफ ऑग नक फा मग मवम स (आईफोम) और ओएफआई मलकर कर रहा ह
18 Launch of CARINGS website under CARA has completely automated the adoption process सीएआरए क अतगत क र स वबसाइट क शभारभ स गोद दन क या पर तरह स वचा लत हो गई ह म हला
एव बाल वकास म ालय
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 53
Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 53
Note Very important Find these topic on Map
1 A Festival of India is being organized in Fiji Kiribati Tonga Vanuatu Nauru Tuvalu and Cook Islands from October 2017 ndash March 2018
2 Republic of Latvia Republic of Armenia Germany Denmark and Serbia 3 Hawaiian Islands
Article 20 (Protection in Respect of Conviction for Offences) grants protection against arbitrary and excessive punishment to an accused person whether citizen or foreigner or legal person like a company or a corporation It contains three provisions in that direction
No ex-post-facto law
No double jeopardy
No self-incrimination No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 54
From Daily Quiz Important Analysis
1 Raman Spectroscopy is used in many varied fields ndash in fact any application where non-destructive microscopic chemical analysis and imaging is required Whether the goal is qualitative or quantitative data Raman analysis can provide key information easily and quickly It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample whether solid liquid gas gel slurry or powder Some key areas where the use of Raman Spectroscopy is well-established include Raw material verification in pharmaceuticals industry gemstone and minerals identification alloy composition defect analysis in semiconductors etc
Address by President WFI 2017 ldquoI would like to congratulate the winners of todayrsquos start-up Awards and Hackathon Awardshellip I understand that one of the start-ups selected has adapted Raman Spectroscopy the discovery of Indiarsquos very own Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr CV Raman into a low-cost hand-held device that can instantly detect food adulteration This technology can save billions in food fraudrdquo
2 Chhattisgarh is the first state in the country to enact a lsquoFood and Nutrition Security Actrsquo Its food security law has been praised for reducing the amount of grain lost to pilferage and through corrupt practices
Some steps taken by the state to improve delivery of food grains through the PDS bull Ration shops were de-privatised by shifting the management of the public distribution system outlets from private licensees to community-based organizations such as gram panchayats (village councils) female self-help groups and co-operative societies bull A lsquoChawal Utsavrsquo (Rice Festival) is organised at each ration shop during the first week of every month which helps to ensure that all food items are adequately stocked in each shop by the last day of the previous month bull Food items are delivered direct to the doorstep of ration shops by yellow government and private trucks to help curtail diversion and ensure timely stoking of food items in shops bull To make the ration shops financially viable and reduce the chance of leakage the commission paid to shop owners and gram panchayats was increased bull Interest-free loan of 75000 rupees to all shops allocated to female self-help groups and gram panchayats bull The PDS was computerized in 2007 to ensure strict monitoring of movement of stocks and inventory levels at all warehouses and shops in the state bull Ration cards have also been computerised and only centrally printed ration cards are distributed to the beneficiaries bull The state government started a toll-free public distribution telephone helpline and also took various transparency measures to involve the community in the process of monitoring
3 The lsquoPonseti methodrsquo recently in the news is a non-invasive technique for treatment of congenital clubfoot This is relevant only because the Global Clubfoot Conference was recently held in India for the first time
Clubfoot is one of the most common orthopaedic birth defects It can cause permanent disability if not treated early This affects the childrsquos mobility and confidence Inevitably education and schooling suffer ndash and the child cannot fulfil his or her potential The irony is clubfoot is curable Till recently most children who suffered from clubfoot needed to be treated surgically A relatively recent method ndash the Ponseti method (developed in USA) ndash has been developed to treat and correct clubfoot without surgery
4 Nutraceuticals is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods Most often they are grouped in the following categories dietary supplements functional food medicinal food Farmaceuticals A dietary supplement represents a product that contains nutrients derived from food products
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 55
and is often concentrated in liquid capsule powder or pill form Although dietary supplements are regulated by the FDA as foods their regulation differs from drugs and other foods Farmaceuticals are medically valuable components produced from modified agricultural crops or animals The term is a combining of the words ldquofarmrdquo and ldquopharmaceuticalsrdquo Proponents of this concept are convinced that using crops (and possibly even animals) as pharmaceutical factories is much more cost effective than conventional methods with higher revenue for agricultural producers
5 The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental economic organization with 35 member countries founded in 1960 to stimulate economic progress and world trade
It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy providing a platform to compare policy experiences seeking answers to common problems identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members
Most OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries
o OECD is an official United Nations Observe
o The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is Indiarsquos central banking institution which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee It commenced its operations on 1 April 1935 during the British Rule in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934
It is a member bank of the Asian Clearing Union The primary objective of ACU (Asian Clearing Union) at the time of its establishment was to secure regional co-operation as regards the settlement of eligible monetary transactions among the members of the Union to provide a system for clearing payments among the member countries on a multilateral basis
7About UNOSSC What is it The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system UNOSSC hosted by UNDP since 1974 was established by the UN General Assembly with a mandate to advocate for and coordinate South-South and triangular cooperation on a global and UN system-wide basis Functions UNOSSC receives policy directives and guidance from the General Assembly and through its subsidiary body the High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation UNOSSC submits its strategic planning frameworks to the UNDP UNFPA and UNOPS Executive Board for approval and funding 8 About ALMA telescope What is it ALMA -the largest astronomical project in existence- is a single telescope of revolutionary design composed of 66 high precision antennas located on the Chajnantor plateau 5000 meters altitude in northern Chile Who has built it
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 56
The Atacama Large Millimetersubmillimeter Array (ALMA) is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan together with NRC (Canada) NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan) and KASI (Republic of Korea) in cooperation with the Republic of Chile What is it for ALMA allows scientists to unravel longstanding and important astronomical mysteries in search of our Cosmic Origins 9 Global navigational systems Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)- India GPS (Global Positioning System)- US Glonass- Russia and Galileo- Europe 10Womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title India has won the womenrsquos Asia Cup hockey title defeating China With this India also qualified for next yearrsquos World Cup as Continental champion
11ICIJ Context The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists today releases The Paradise Papers a global investigation that reveals the offshore activities of some of the worldrsquos most powerful people and companies What is ICIJ The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is a global network of more than 200 investigative journalists in 70 countries who collaborate on in-depth investigative stories Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers cross-border crime corruption and the accountability of power
12 New ant species discovered in the Western Ghats
Researchers have discovered a new species of ant in the Western Ghats recognised as one of the worldrsquos lsquohottest
hotspotsrsquo of biological diversity
Key facts
1 The new species is named Tyrannomyrmex alii (or T alii) The ant is named after eminent myrmecologist
Musthak Ali who is regarded as the countryrsquos lsquoant manrsquo
2 The new species was found in the Periyar Tiger Reserve It belongs to Tyrannomyrmex a rare tropical
genus of ants
3 Tyrannomyrmex is a rare myrmicine (subfamily of ants) ant genus that is distributed in the Indomalayan
bio-region that extends from southern India and Sri Lanka to southeast Asia
4 alli is the fourth species of the rare genus and the second one from India
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 57
13Musa paramjitiana
What is it
It is a species of wild banana discovered recently in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Key facts
The plant grows to a height of nine metres and bears an edible sweet-and-sour tasting fruit that is boat-
shaped and has numerous bulb-shaped seeds
Its conservation status has been declared as lsquoCritically Endangeredrsquo as it has so far been spotted in only
two locations on the islands each with 6 to 18 plants in a clump
The fruits and seeds have ethno-medicinal importance Pseudo-stem and leaves of these species are also
used during religious and cultural ceremonies
14 NITI Aayog CEO Mr Amitabh Kant will deliver a keynote sharing his perspective on how blockchain technology can transform the Indian economy and presenting his vision for IndiaChain ndash a blockchain-enabled infrastructure for Indian enterprise and government
15 The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju has said that India must prepare itself for moving towards Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) from an approach of traditional Disaster Management Shri Rijiju was inaugurating the lsquoIndia Disaster Response Summitrsquo organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Facebook on how best to leverage social media platforms to lsquoprepare respond and recoverrsquo for during and after a disaster
16 Introducing the Disaster Information Volunteers (DIV) programme wherein a network of trained volunteers would provide supplementary information on disasters in their local communities to assist Government relief efforts through the Facebook Workplace platform Facebook Head (Policy Programmes) for South Asia said they were aiming to empower communities by building products that connect people and create positive social impact The programme will be piloted in two disaster prone states ndash Assam and Uttarakhand
17 The lsquoGraded Response Action Planrsquo was notified earlier this year by the Environment Ministry against air pollution for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR includes Rajasthan Haryana and UP) The plan puts governments under the lens and holds out the promise of improvement in air quality if followed properly
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 58
What does a lsquograded responsersquo to air pollution mean
A graded response lays down stratified actions that are required to be taken as and when the concentration of pollutants in this case particulate matter reaches a certain level The response will change as pollutant levels increase
At the level of 100 microgrammes per cubic metre (microgmsup3) of PM 25 for example mechanised sweeping and water-sprinkling along roads has to start Other pollution control measures that are already in place (such as stopping landfill fires) will have to be strictly implemented If pollution levels of 300 microgmsup3 or more persists for more than 48 hours an emergency will be declared which means a return of the odd-even road rationing scheme ban on construction activity and no entry of trucks in Delhi unless they are carrying essential commodities
18 PM Outline a ten-point agenda for renewing our efforts towards disaster risk reduction
First all development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management Second work towards risk coverage for all ndash starting from poor households to small and medium enterprises to multi-national corporations to nation states
Third encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management
Fourth invest in risk mapping globally
Fifth leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts
Sixth develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues After all universities have social responsibilities too
Seventh utilize the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies Social media is transforming disaster response
Eighth build on local capacity and initiative
Ninth ensure that the opportunity to learn from a disaster is not wasted
Tenth bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 59
19 The NGO-DARPAN platform was earlier maintained by erstwhile Planning Commission It now is being maintained under the aegis of NITI Aayog
VOs (Voluntary Organisations)NGOs play a major role in the development of the nation by supplementing the efforts of the Government This portal enables VOsNGOs to enrol centrally and thus facilitates creation of a repository of information about VOsNGOs SectorState wise The Portal facilitates VOsNGOs to obtain a system generated Unique ID as and when signed The Unique ID is mandatory to apply for grants under various schemes of MinistriesDepartmentsGovernments Bodies
It is a free facility offered by the NITI Aayog in association with National Informatics Centre to bring about greater partnership between government amp voluntary sector and foster better transparency efficiency and accountability
20 The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development
Cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective
placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and
Cooperating actively at the international level
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
21 The Organic World Congress (OWC) is organized once every three years in a different country and this time it is being organised in India The last edition of the Organic World Congress took place in Istanbul Turkey in 2014 The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and OAFI are organizing the event
ldquoSince 1972 IFOAM ndash Organics International has occupied an unchallenged position as the only international umbrella organization of the organic world uniting an enormous diversity of stakeholders contributing to the organic visionrdquo
IFOAM ndash Organics International has 800 Affiliates in more than 100 countries In order to unify lead and assist this a broad-based constituency in a fair inclusive and participatory manner IFOAM ndash Organics International organizes a General Assembly every three years where a World Board is elected to chart IFOAM-Organics Internationalrsquos course and to appoint affiliates to official committees working groups and task forces
22 WIPOrsquos TISC program provides innovators in developing countries with access to locally based high quality technology information and related services helping them to exploit their innovative potential and to create protect and manage their intellectual property (IP) rights
Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
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Current from Nov 3rd to Nov 9th 2017 httpbulluiaswordpresscom
Compiled from pib iasparaliament gktoday insightsonindia Page 60
The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) is designated as the National Focal point for the TISC network in India As the national focal point CIPAM shall identify potential host institutions assess their capacities and support them in joining the TISC project CIPAM will also act as the main intermediary between WIPO and TISC host institutions and coordinate all the activities of the national TISC network
Over 500 TISCs operate worldwide and establishing TISC in India will give the host institutions access to the Global network
23