September 2019 Flashcards
September Current Affairs
Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB)
HQ?
India is what? tenure?
Who hosted 2019?
The Election Commission of India ECI - is scheduled to host the 4th General Assembly GA of the A-WEB at Bengaluru on 3rd September 2019.India will take over as A-WEB’s Chair for the 2019-21 term.
A-WEB is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide.It was established on October 14, 2013 in South Korea.The permanent secretariat of A-WEB is located in Seoul, South Korea.
It was founded with the shared vision among its members of achieving sustainable democracy around the world.
A-WEB also undertakes Election Visitor and Observation Programmes in various countries to study various election management practices and share knowledge with other Member of EMBs
India Caricom Summit
On sidelines of what?
What was promised in this summit?
Amount of grant and line of credit?
Meeting of Prime Minister of India with 14 leaders of the CARICOM group of countries on the SIDELINES of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Announced USD 14 million grant for community development projects in the CARICOM and another 150 million Line of Credit for solar, renewable energy and climate- change-related projects.
formed in 1973.
CARICOM has 15 members – Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Chairmanship of the Community is rotated every six months among the member countries.The CARICOM Single Market and Economy are intended to benefit the people of the region
International Migrant Stock Who releases? India is what in immigration? Indians most prefferred places? Immigrants in India from?
Released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), India has emerged as country with most immigrants across the world.
Most preferred destination of the Indian migrants was the UAE followed by US, and Saudi Arabia.
In India, the highest number of international migrants came from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal.
(UNDESA)It was formed in the year 1948.It is the development pillar of the United Nations.UN DESA is a pioneer of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Jeevan Kaushal
Who designed?
Which ministry?
Aim?
Jeevan Kaushal
Curriculum for Life Skills (Jeevan Kaushal) programme designed by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Jeevan Kaushal is aimed at:Inculcation of an Emotional Intelligence.Development of Intellectual Competencies.Development of verbal and non-verbal communication skills.The program has been framed for Undergraduate courses across the country.
MoHRD
Global Live ability Index
Who releases?
Rank of delhi and mumbai?
Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2019.
New Delhi with 118th rank has registered the biggest decline in Asia whereas Mumbai also fell two places since last year to rank 119th.
Ranks 140 cities
Samudrayaan
Which Ministry?
Aim?
The ‘Samudrayaan’ is a part of the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ pilot project for deep ocean mining for rare minerals.
The project proposes to send a submersible vehicle with three persons to a depth of about 6000 metres to carry out deep underwater studies.
Apache Helicopters?
From?
What will it replace?
Known as an attack helicopter from the Boeing production facility,USA.Apache will replace Russian origin MI-35 helicopters that are on the verge of retirement.
These are all-weather capable, easily maintainable and have high agility and survivability against battle damage.
ASTRA By? Speed? Range? Features?
ASTRA the first indigenously developed air-to-air missileped by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).It works on the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) technology.The specifications of the missile are:
Speed: over 5,555 km per hour or 4.5 mach
Range: over 70 km,
Payload/warhead capacity: 15 kg.
Features:Electronic Counter-Countermeasures or ECCM feature enables Astra missile to overcome defensive measures put forth for the target by the enemy.Another deadly feature of this missile is the option to choose between “Lock-on Before Launch – LOBL” and “Lock-on After Launch – LOAL”Lock-on After Launch option allows the fighter aircraft to safely shoot and scoot after launching the missile towards the target.Astra is extremely effective in a multi-target scenario and
therefore, has been described as the most potent weapon system for IAF’s combat aircraft.
Khanderi INS
What is it?
Khanderi is a Kalvari class scorpene diesel-electric attack submarine
The second INS ‘Khanderi’ was recently handed over to the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).
Project 75
What is it?
Whose?
Technology trasfer from?
It is a programme by the Navy that entails building six Scorpene-Class attack submarines.
The programme has been undertaken with transfer of technology from French company Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS) at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).
The submarines in the P75 Scorpene-Class are powered by the conventional diesel-electric propulsion system.The first Scorpene submarine, Kalvari, was commissioned in 2017 and it would go for a normal refit after six years in 2023, during which time the Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) would be installed.
AIP technology is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to provide submarines long-range and extended endurance capabilities undersea.
Second Scorpene Khanderi was inducted in September 2019.The remaining submarines (Vela, Vagir, and Vagsheer) in the series are in advanced stages of manufacturing and trials.
Air-Independent Propulsion
Conventional submarines use a diesel-electric engine, and must surface for oxygen required for fuel combustion. If fitted with an Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, the submarine needs to take in oxygen less frequently.While many naval powers, including India, have acquired nuclear-powered submarines for deep-sea operations, conventional diesel-electric variants are considered useful for coastal defence. The latter are optimised for stealth, and their weapons and sensors provide for effective operations close to the shore.Diesel-electric submarines require them to come to the surface frequently to charge their batteries, their underwater endurance time is less. ‘Air-independent’ propulsion technology helps to make the diesel generator less dependent on surface air.
INS Nilgiri
Project 17A?
What is Dry Dock?
Defence Minister has launched the first of the Navy’s seven new stealth frigates named INS Nilgiri, in Mumbai.He also commissioned the largest dry dock of Indian Navy- the ‘Aircraft Carrier Dock’ at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, terming it as an ‘edifice of modern India’.
Dry Dock- A dry dock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform.They are used for the construction, maintenance, and repair of ships, boats, and other watercraft.
INS Nilgiri is the first ship of the Project-17A. Project 17A frigates is a design derivative of the Shivalik class stealth frigates with much more advanced stealth features and indigenous weapons and sensors.The P17A frigates incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability.
Varaha
Indian Coast GuardIt was established on 18th August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 of the Parliament of India as an independent Armed force of India.It operates under the Ministry of Defence.Headquarter: New Delhi.
India Thai Corpopat, Maitree, Yudh Abhyas, Tsentnr, Slinex, Sitmex, Malabar, Garuda
Thailand, Thailand, USA, Russia, Sri Lanka, Singapore India thailnd(sit), India USA Japan, France
Central Adverse List
Ministry of Home Affairs maintains a list officially named as the Central Adverse List.It has more than 35,000 names on it.It includes the names of individuals who supported the Khalistan movement in 1980s and 1990s but left India to take asylum in foreign countries.These are those who were in favour of a separate Sikh state and had opposed the Operation Blue Star.
Basel convention’
What does it propose /seek to prevent?
When did it come into force?
Proposal by India to prevent developed countries from dumping their electronic and plastic waste into developing countries,
was defeated at the recently concluded meeting of the Basel Convention in Geneva
Basel Convention, which lays down guidelines on the movement of hazardous waste, key outcome of the meeting was an amendment to the Convention that includes plastic waste in a legally-binding framework, which would make global trade in plastic waste more transparent and better regulated, whilst also ensuring that its management is safer for human health and the environment.
However, it does not bar countries from exporting various categories of plastic waste.
Adopted on March 22, 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel, Switzerland, the “Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal”, generally known as the Basel Convention, came into force in 1992.
It is an international treaty that aims to reduce the movement of hazardous waste between countries.It particularly focuses on preventing transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries
Basel Ban
What is it?
Who signed that brought it into force?
The 1995 Basel Ban Amendment, a global waste dumping prohibition, has become an international law after Croatia (97th country to ratify) ratified it on September 6, 2019.
Adopted by the parties to the Basel Convention in 1995.To protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes.The amendment prohibits all export of hazardous wastes, including electronic wastes and obsolete ships from 29 wealthiest countries of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to non-OECD countries
Pacesetter Fund
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy recently awarded grants to the awardees of the second round of PACEsetter fund programme.The PACEsetter fund was constituted by India and the USA in 2015 as a joint fund.
The mission of the PACEsetter Fund is to accelerate the commercialization of innovative off-grid clean energy access solutions by providing early-stage grant funding that would allow businesses to develop and test innovative products, business models and systems.
Climate Action Summit 2019
74th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the Prime Minister of India addressed the United Nations (UN) Climate Action Summit
India will increase renewable energy capacity to beyond 175 GW (capacity as committed under the Paris Climate Agreement) by 2022.
Indian Institute of Skill
It is like which other inst?
What is the concept behind it?
Indian Institute of Skills (IIS
Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) are in line with Institutes of Eminence (IoEs) including IITs and IIMs.
IIS aims to enroll 5,000 students per year with campus placement of 70% trainees.The Union Cabinet has given its nod to set up Indian Institute of Skills (IISs) in three locations of the country.
:Mumbai Ahmedabad Kanpur
These institutes will be constructed & operated on a PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model and on a not-for-profit basis skill training to students who want to pursue technical education after completing Class X and Class XII, making them employable and industry-ready.
The Tata Education Development Trust (TEDT) is the private partner for setting up IIS in Mumbai.
Okjokull,
Pizol,
Alestch
Iceland,
Switzerland,
Alps
Pusa Varieties - Yashasvi, Basmati, Aditi, Sona
Wheat,
Rice,
Grape,
Onion
National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT)
Ministry ?
Implementing agency?
Purpose?
Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has announced a new National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) to use technology for better learning outcomes in Higher Education. The scheme aims to use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalized.
National Alliance with such technology developing EdTech Companies through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.MHRD would act as a facilitator.
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) would be the implementing agency for the NEAT programme. set up 1945
National Nutrition Survey CNNS
Ministry ?
International partner?
Difference between NFHS and CNNS
First-ever comprehensive National Nutrition Survey has been conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) to measure malnutrition.
10% of children in the age group of 5-9 years and adolescents in the age group of 10-19 years are pre-diabetic.Also, 5% are overweight and another 5% suffer from blood pressure
National Nutrition Survey is different from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) as,
NFHS collects data to measure the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight and household dietary intake to measure deficiencies.
Moreover, the survey collects data only for the age groups of 1-5 years and adults, and not for school going children between the age of 5 and 19 years.
FSSAI
Was launched by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).The movement aims to cut down salt/sugar and oil consumption by 30% in three years
.It also aims to engage and enable citizens to improve their health and well-being by making the right food choices.
Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GFTAM).
How much India contributed?
Sectreatriat?
India has recently announced a contribution of $22 million to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GFTAM).
Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and people affected by the diseases.The organization maintains its secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
SATHI - Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI)
Ministry?
Department of Science & Technology (Ministry of Science and Technology) has launched a unique scheme called Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes (SATHI)
DST has already set up 3 such centres in the country, one each at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU.
K218b
Why popular? -Extrasolar planet
Found by?
K2-18b is the only planet (exoplanet) that is known to have both water and temperatures that could support Life It was discovered in 2015 by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft.
It resides in a habitable zone or Goldilocks zone, the area around a star where it is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface of surrounding planets.
However, K2-18b’s size and surface gravity are much larger than Earth’s. Its radiation environment, too, maybe hostile.K2-18b orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18, which is about 110 light-years from Earth in the Leo constellation.It is eight times the mass of Earth.
Goldschmidite
Recently a new mineral has been discovered inside a diamond unearthed from a mine in South Africa.It has been found in Earth’s Mantle which covers 80% of earth’s volume.
Goldschmidtite has high concentrations of niobium, potassium and the rare earth elements lanthanum and cerium.The found single grain is dark green in colour and opaque.The mineral has been named after the Norwegian scientist Victor Moritz Goldschmidt, who is considered as the founder of Modern Geochemistry.
(Unique Methods of Management and Treatment of Inherited Disorders) UMMID
UMMID initiative to tackle inherited genetic diseases of newborn babies.
aims:To establish NIDAN (National Inherited Diseases Administration) Kendras to provide counselling, prenatal testing and diagnosis, management
World Digital Competitive Index
Relesed by ?
India has jumped four places fromto 44th rank in 2019 in World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR).The country has improved overall in all factors – knowledge, technology and future-readiness – as compared to the previous year’s ranking.
The Ranking,by International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Center, measures the capacity and readiness of 63 nations to adopt and explore digital technologies
Digital Payment Abhiyan
Launched by?
Nasscom’s Data Security Council of India (DSCI) collaborated with Union Ministry of Electronics IT (MeitY) and Google India to launch nationwide awareness campaign ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’.
The campaign aims at increasing awareness about cashless payment, educate end-users on the benefits of making digital payments, online financial security and urge them to adopt security and safety best practices.It will be a pan-India campaign which will be crafted in seven languages — Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi.
Bank mergers
Bank mergers
Biggest consolidation plan of Public sector Banks (PSBs)- merging 10 of them into just 4.
Start up cells
Withdrawal of Angel Tax provisions for Start-ups and their investors. For mitigating the genuine difficulties of Start-ups, a dedicated cell was set up under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
The Cell will work towards redressal of grievances & tax-related issues with respect to the administration of the Income-tax Act, 1961.Start-up entities can directly approach the Cell for the speedy resolution of their grievances
Garbage Cafe
Country’s first garbage cafe has been launched here in Chhattisgarh. Under this, the Municipal Corporation will provide food to the poor and homeless in lieu of plastic waste
Indonesia capital shift
Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo has announced the national capital will move from Jakarta, on the island of Java, to the province of East Kalimantan, on Borneo
5th Aqua Aquariua
5th Aqua Aquaria India, 2019 in Hyderabad, Telangana.The theme for the 2019 edition is “To take Blue Revolution to India’s hinterland”.It is the largest aquaculture exhibition in India.It is a biennial exhibition organised by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).
(MPEDA), 1972.It functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Like APEDA) .It is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.
Mammallapuram
Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu is expected to be the venue for the second India-China informal summit.
The town’s religious centre was founded by a 7th-century Hindu Pallava King—Narasimhavarman, also known as Mamalla—for whom the town was named.
It contains many surviving 7th- and 8th-century Pallava temples and monuments, chief of which are the sculptured rock relief popularly known as “Arjuna’s Penance,” or “Descent of the Ganges,” a series of sculptured cave temples, and a Shiva temple on the seashore.
Build for Digital India
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Google have signed a statement of intent to roll-out, ‘Build for Digital India’ - a program that will offer engineering students a platform to develop market-ready, technology-based solutions that address key social problems.
