Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 10-06-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 10-06-2020

• [message]
• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. India-China Standoff 2020 – Both countries agreed to ease stand-off – Indian and Chinese troops began a partial “disengagement” from some of the stand-off points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, in the first sign of moving towards resolution of the month long stand-off between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army there. A series of ground level military talks are due to be held over the next 10 days, beginning June 10, to try and resolve most of the other issues at the local level.
2. COVID-19 Updates – Migrants should not be prosecuted: SC – The Supreme Court said migrant workers should not be prosecuted for trying to reach home amid the national lockdown (Under section 51 of the Disaster Management Act). A Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed the Centre and the States to withdraw any complaint or prosecution lodged against migrant labourers who had set out on foot from big cities for their native villages to escape starvation, unemployment and disease during the pandemic. The court said “society as a whole was moved by their miseries and difficulties”.
3. International Relations – Cross-party backing in Nepal for new map – The Lower House of Nepal’s Parliament expressed cross-party support for the new map which shows the disputed Kalapani region as part of Nepalese sovereign territory. During the discussion on the Second Constitution Amendment Bill, which will grant legal status to the updated map, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said India has undermined Nepal’s sovereignty by building the Lipulekh link road in the area.
4. Cyber Crime – BEML’s internal data, staff email IDs hacked, leaked on dark web – In what is prima facie suspected to be an act of cyber terrorism from Pakistan, the official email ids of seven employees of an Indian Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) working in the defence industry were found to be hacked, and internal data dumped on the dark net. The company targeted, BEML, previously known as Bharat Earth Movers Limited, is headquartered in Bengaluru, and has several crucial business verticals such as defence products, high mobility vehicles, Indian railway products and Metro rail cars. The leak was discovered by Cyble Inc, a global cyber intelligence agency founded by cyber expert Beenu Arora. Cyble Inc researchers said the threat actor who put the data out on the dark web, R3dr0x, seems to be a Pakistani hacker.
5. Society – 74% claimants ‘low-wage earners’, says EPFO – The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said over 74% claimants during the lockdown were “low wage earners”, or those who earn less than Rs.15,000 a month. It said the special withdrawal scheme related to the pandemic had helped members with income less than Rs. 15,000. Under the scheme, members can withdraw up to three months’ basic wages plus dearness allowance or 75% of the amount in their EPF account, whichever is lower. 80,000 claims were being settled every day.
6. US Politics – Senate confirms first black service chief in unanimous vote –  The Senate on Tuesday unanimously confirmed Gen. Charles Brown Jr as chief of staff of the US Air Force, making him the first black officer to lead one of the nation's military services. Vice President Mike Pence took the unusual step of presiding over the vote, something is usually does to break ties. But Brown’s confirmation 98-0, was not close. Pence called the movement historic. The vote came as the Trump administration and the mostly white Senate Republican conference grapple with the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
7. COVID-19 Updates - WHO calls for new lockdowns in Pakistan as coronavirus surges – The World Health Organisation has told Pakistan it should implement ‘intermittent’ lockdowns to counter a surge in coronavirus infections that has come as the country loosens restrictions. Since the start of Pakistan’s outbreak in March, Prime Minister Imran Khan opposed a nationwide lockdown of the sort seen elsewhere, arguing the impoverish country could not afford it. The decision came as Pakistan’s infection rate is worsening, as it is across all of South Asia, which until recently has lagged Western nations in virus tolls.
8. George Floyde Protets – George Floyd laid to rest after funeral service in Houston – African-American George Floyd, whose custodial killing stoke widespread protests in the US and other countries over racial injustice, was laid to rest following a funeral service at Church in Houston that was attended by over 500 mourners. Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after white police officer Derek Chauvin handcuffed and pinned him to the ground, and knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes while the 46-year-old from Houstan gasped for breath.
9. Indian Economy – Government to create 3,500 FPOs in 3 years to help boost farmer incomes – The government is looking to create 3,500 farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in next three years to ensure farmers get remunerative prices for their produce. An FPO, formed by a group of farm producers, takes care of their business activities. FPOs will acquire a larger role now as the government has allowed agriculture trading outside APMC premises. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had in her budget speech announced a plan to help create 10,000 FPOs in five years.
10. Indian Economy – Some financial offences like bouncing of cheques may be decriminalised – The government is looking to reclassify several offences under financial sector laws, including the bouncing of cheques, as civil offences rather than criminal ones to improve the ease of doing business and unclog the courts. These will then be punishable only by monetary penalties. The Department of Financial Services has sought public comments on decriminalising 39 sections in 19 acts under its administrative purview including the Banking Regulation Act, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act, the Insurance Act and the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No.	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	Sangli Urban Co-Operative Bank Ltd.	Branch Manager	9	Any Degree	June 20, 2020	https://sangliurbanbank.in/pdf/Advt%20for%20BM%20requirement.pdf
2	Department of Land Resources	Coordinator, Technical Officer, Evaluation & Data Analyst	5	Degree, PG	--	https://dolr.gov.in/sites/default/files/GI%20Cell%20%282%29.pdf
3	IIWBR	SRF, YP-I, II	7	Any Degree, PG/ Ph.D	June 20, 2020	https://www.iiwbr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Recruitment-Notification.pdf
4	Indian Air Force	AFCAT 02/2020	256	Any Degree, BE/ B.Tech/ PG	July 14, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/06/Short-Notification-Indian-Air-Force-AFCAT-02-2020-Posts.pdf
5	Assam Police	Constable/ Guardsman (Grade-III)	451	10th Class	June 30, 2020	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2020/02/Notification-Assam-Police-Constable-Sub-Officer-Other-Posts.pdf
6	Dept of Women & Child Devpmt, Delhi	Chairperson & Member	20	--	June 18, 2020	http://www.wcddel.in/pdf/AdvNoticeCWC2020.pdf
7	NHM, Kerala	Claim Adjudicator, Confidential Asst, Director, Manager	8	Any Degree, MBBS, MBA	June 14, 2020	https://arogyakeralam.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Notification-dtd-06.06.2020.pdf

• [message]
• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

• [message]
• 1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 Uttarakhand HC declares law exempting former chief ministers from payment rent for occupying government bungalows as unconstitutional

• News -

1. The Uttarakhand High Court declared that the Uttarakhand Former Chief Ministers Facility Act, 2019 which allows former chief ministers of the State to stay in government bungalows without paying market rent, is "ultra vires".

• The bench and the decision -

1. The division bench comprised by Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice RC Khulbe has held that a Chief Minister, once he demits office, is on par with the common man and is not entitled to any preferential treatment, other than security and other protocols.

• Background - 

1. The decision has come in a PIL filed by the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, a Dehradun-based NGO, against the 2019 Act.
2. In March 2019, the another division bench of the High Court had in Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra Rlek v. State of Uttarakhand & Ors., WP PIL No. 90/2010, had directed the Ex-Chief Ministers to pay the market rent for the bungalows allotted to them by the State Government after they had demitted office as Chief Minister.
3. However in January this year, the Uttarakhand Government enacted the impugned legislation, to exempt the former CMs from paying rent for Government accommodations.
4. The Petitioner-organization had thus moved the High Court, stating that the Act had been made with the specific purpose of over-ruling the abovementioned judgment and was a measure of "statutory over-ruling".

• [message]
• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report

• News -

1. The World Bank expects India's economy to contract 3.2% in the current fiscal year, a sharp downgrade from its April projection of 1.5%-2.8% growth
2. International rating agencies like Moody's Investors Service, Fitch Rating and S&P Global Ratings have all predicted a 4-5 per cent contraction in India's economic growth rate during April 2020 to March 2021 fiscal.  
3. Crisil has said this would be the country's fourth recession since Independence, first since liberalisation, and perhaps the worst to date.
4. India is the fifth worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

• Reasons –

1. Pandemic’s impact would be particularly hard on emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) with large informal sectors, like India.
2. While advanced economies are likely to see a 7% contraction this year, the WB expects EMDEs to shrink by 2.5%, the first output contraction for the group since 1960.
3. It would “take an especially heavy humanitarian and economic toll on” these economies.
4. Stringent lockdown and spill overs from weaker global growth.

• News –

1. Global economy will contract by 5.2% in 2020: World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report

• Worst recession since World War II

1. The World Bank said the swift and massive shock of the coronavirus pandemic and shutdown measures to contain it have plunged the global economy into a severe contraction.
2. It said this would be the most synchronised contraction in per capita output for economies since 1870, estimating a 5.2% contraction in 2020 with a 4.2% rebound next year.
3. According to the report, 90% of economies would be in recession, higher than levels seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s..

• [message]
• 3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

3.1 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2020

• Key point -

1.  India ranks 168th on Environmental Performance Index 2020.

• Highlights -

1. India ranked 168th out of 180 countries in 2020 EPI. All South Asian countries, except Afghanistan, were ahead of India in the ranking.
2. In 2018, India’s rank was 177th (with a score of 30.57 out of 100). The country scored 27.6 out of 100 in the 2020 index.
3. As per researchers, country faces serious environmental health risks, including poor air quality.

• Poor performance South Asian region -

1. India must re-double national sustainability efforts on all fronts.
2. The country needs to pay attention to a wide spectrum of sustainability issues, with a high-priority to critical issues such as air and water quality, biodiversity and climate change.
3. India’s rank on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among the South Asian countries was low, according to State of India’s Environment 2020.

• Environmental health should be top agenda -

1. The country scored below the regional average score on all five key parameters – environmental health, including air quality, sanitation and drinking water, heavy metals and waste management.
2. It has also scored below the regional average on parameters related to biodiversity and ecosystem services too.
3. Among South Asian countries, India was at second position (rank 106) after Pakistan on ‘climate change’. 
4. Pakistan’s score (50.6) was the highest under the category.
5. As per the report, black carbon, carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse emissions per capita increased in 10 years. Its overall score under climate change has dipped 2.9 points. 
6. Importance of Good Governance: We need new futures, new directions for growth. But this can’t happen if our natural resources are threatened and our governance systems and practices are failing.

• [message]
• 4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

4.1 Vietnam’s Parliament ratifies European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement 

• News –

1. National Assembly of Vietnam on June 8 ratified the European Union Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) paving the way for it to take effect sometime in July or August this year.

• Details –

1. The agreement was unanimously approved with 94.62 percent of lawmakers in favor of the EVFTA and 95.65 percent in favor of the EVIPA.
2. The developments follow the ratification of the FTA by the European Parliament (EP) on February 12.
3. Analysts hope the trade deal will give a much-needed boost to Vietnam’s industries, such as manufacturing, as it looks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. The EVFTA is an ambitious pact providing almost 99 percent of the elimination of custom duties between the EU and Vietnam.  
5. The EVFTA is considered a new generation bilateral agreement.

• [message]
• 5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 Not Available Today

• [message]
• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Roundup – Arts and Culture, Accidents, Natural and Manmade disasters

•  Bollywood director and screenwriter Basu Chatterjee dies at 93 - Bollywood director and screenwriter Basu Chatterjee, known for movies such as “Chhoti Si Baat” and “Rajnigandha”, died at the age of 93 in Mumbai on June 4, 2020. His other noteworthy movies were “Us Paar”, “Chitchor”, “Piya Ka Ghar”, “Khatta Meetha” and “Baton-Baton Mein”. In 1992, Chatterjee won the National Film Award for best film on family welfare for ‘Durga’. He directed two iconic serials - Byomkesh Bakshi and Rajani – for Doordarshan. He made his directorial debut with Sara Akash in 1969, which won him the Filmfare Best Screenplay Award.
• Singer-composer Wajid Khan of music director duo Sajid-Wajid, dies at 42 - Singer-composer Wajid Khan of music director duo Sajid-Wajid, known for their work in films such as Wanted, Dabangg and Ek Tha Tiger, passed away on June 1, 2020 in Mumbai at the age of 42.

• Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja dies at 39 - Kannada actor Chiranjeevi Sarja passed away in Bengaluru at the age of 39 on June 7, 2020. Sarja made his film debut with ‘Vayuputra’ and acted in 22 films.
• Cyclone Nisarga makes landfall in Maharashtra - Torrential rain, accompanied by wind speeds of up to 120 kmph over a radius of 60 km, marked Cyclone Nisarga’s landfall at Murud in Raigad district of Maharashtra on June 3, 2020. Two people died. In Gujarat, the cyclone did not hit the coastal areas as expected.

• [message]
• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 36 years of Operation Blue Star

• What was it –

1. It was a military operation which was ordered by Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister, to remove Sikh militants who were amassing weapons in the Harmandir Sahib Complex (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, in order to establish control over it.
2. Operation Blue Star was carried out between June 1 and June 8, 1984, in Amritsar.
3. The operation was launched in response to a deterioration of law and order in Punjab.
4. The Indian military got into the premises of the temple to drive out the Sikh extremist religious leader, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers.
5. This Operation helped India eliminate Khalistani terrorism.
6. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale:
7. Bhindranwale was the leader of Damdami Taksal and was one of the main reasons behind Operation Blue Star.
8. During Operation Blue Star, Bhindranwale and Khalistan supporters took over the Akal Takht complex in Amritsar's Golden Temple.
9. Bhindranwale was seen as a supporter of the creation of Khalistan.

• Operation Sundown -  

1. It was the aborted mission which was planned by the RAW agency to abduct Bhindranwale.

• Operation Black Thunder - 

1. It was the second phase of Operation Blue Star.
2. The first phase was carried out on April 30, 1986, while the second Operation Black Thunder began on May 9, 1988.
3. It was carried out by Black Cat commandos of National Security Guards (NSG) to remove Sikh militants from the Golden Temple.

• Operation Blue Star was divided into two parts -

1. Operation Metal: It was limited to Golden Temple but it also led to Operation Shop - the capturing of suspects from outskirts of Punjab.
2. Operation Woodrose was launched throughout Punjab. The operation was carried out by Indian Army, using tanks, artillery, helicopters and armored vehicles.

• The Revenge –

1. PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, for giving permission for the Operation Blue Star.

7.2 Government extended validity of motor vehicle documents till September 30.

• [message]
• 8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

8.1 International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression observed on June 4

• Significance –

1. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides us with the universal masterplan to secure a better future for children.

• Aim -

1. To acknowledge the pain suffered by children across the world, which is caused due to any kind of abuse including physical, mental and emotional.

• History –

1. The day came into being in a special United Nations General Assembly session, which was held to discuss the condition of Palestine.
2. It is during this session that took place on August 19, 1982 that the organisation asserted that it is “appalled at the great number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel’s acts of aggression”.
3. This came after the Lebanon War which took place in 1982 and had a huge number of child victims.

• [message]
• 9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

9.1 miR-155

• What is miR-155 -

1. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that fine-tune the cell response to a changing environment by modulating the cell transcriptome.
2. miR-155 is a multifunctional miRNA enriched in cells of the immune system and is indispensable for the immune response.
3. However, when deregulated, miR-155 contributes to the development of chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer, and fibrosis.
4. Why in the news: Researchers have identified a specific microRNA (miRNAs) called ‘miR-155’ that is over-expressed in tongue cancer.

• What do the researchers say -

1. Knocking out miR-155 results in death of cancer cells, arrests the cell cycle and regresses tumour size in animal models and reduces cell viability and colony formation in bench top assays.
2. The miRNAs associated with cancer are called ‘Oncomirs’. Many of the Oncomirs affect cancer by suppressing the performance of tumour-suppressing agents. Some of them can prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells and yet others prevent tumour growth itself.
3. Importance of the finding: The finding could help in developing molecular strategies to manipulate miR-155 expression to develop therapeutics for tongue cancer.

• [message]
• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1 Not Available Today

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has recommended the appointment of Ashwani Bhatia as Managing Director of State Bank of India.
• Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), CLSS is Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme.
• United Nations observed the Day of Vesak on May 7, 2020.
• World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed on April 28, 2020.
• Swamitva Yojana portal was launched by the government on April 24, 2020 to enable mapping of properties in villages by use of drones.

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

• [message]
• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

---