Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 30-09-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 30-09-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. COVID-19 Updates: Second nationwide Sero-Survery – 60 mn Indians may have been exposed to virus: ICMR survey – According to the second national sero-survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), around 7% of India’s adult population may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus till the last fortnight of August. This is roughly a 10-fold jump in numbers from the first sero-survey conducted across 70 districts in 21 States that in early May. The people tested in the second survey were drawn from the same villages and clusters as the first, in which the scientists said that 0.73% of adults -or about 6.4 million — across the country were likely infected. Sero-surveys are conducted by drawing blood samples and checking for a specific class of antibodies called IgG that appear within two weeks of an infection. Because it is yet unclear how long antibodies detectably persist in the body, their presence only indicates past exposure to - and not presence of - the virus.
2. India-China Standoff 2020 – India rejects China’s unilateral claims on LAC – India and China exchanged sharp statements, blaming each other for the continuing border tensions, with New Delhi describing China’s Line of Actual Control (LAC) claims as “untenable”, and Beijing saying it “did not recognise” the Union Territory of Ladakh. The LAC of 1959 was first referenced in a letter from then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai to Jawaharlal Nehru — an idea rejected by Nehru and subsequently never accepted by India.
3. Society  – UP gang-rape victim dies in Delhi hospital – A ninteen-year-old Dalit woman from Hathras village in UP, who was brutally gang-raped by four upper caste men, succumbed to injuries in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital. The incident occurred on Sept 14 when the woman went to collect fodder from a field with her mother. She was allegedly gang-raped, and later strangulated and dragged with her dupatta. The victim was shifted to Delhi from Aligarh’s J.N. Medical College Hospital (JNMCH) on the request of her father. The Hathras police have arrested the four accused — Sandip, Ramu, Lavkush and Ravi — under Sections pertaining to murder and gang rape.
4. Constitution and Law – How long will Mehbooba be under detention, asks SC – The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to clarify how long they intend to detain former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Ms. Mufti’s daughter, Iltija, represented by advocates Nitya Ramakrishnan and S. Prasanna. Ms. Mufti was detained on August 5 last year amid the scrapping of provisions of Article 370, which accorded special status to the erstwhile State, and bifurcation of the State into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. On February 5, the Srinagar District Magistrate ordered her detention under Section 8 of the PSA. She has been in custody for six months.
5. Polity and Governance – Amnesty shuts India ops, alleges govt witch hunt – Amnesty International India said it was halting its activities in the country due to freezing of its accounts by the government in what the NGO described as the latest in an “incessant witch hunt” of human rights organisations over unfounded and motivated allegations. The crackdown over the last two years and the complete freezing of bank accounts, it said in a statement, “was not accidental”. The constant harassment by government agencies, including the ED, is a result of our unequivocal calls for transparency in the government, more recently for accountability of Delhi Police and the government of India regarding the grave human rights violations during the Delhi riots and in J&K,” Kumar said.
6. Society/Constitution and Law – SC: Sex workers too have right to live with dignity – SC ordered all states and UTs to provide dry ration to female sex workers without insisting on identity proof and help them overcome starvation-like situation caused by the pandemic. The SC also asked the Centre to respond to a proposal for Rs 1,500 monetary assistance to sex workers that can help tide over the tough times, along the lines of a scheme for transgenders. There are nearly a million female sex workers in India. The court mentioned the good work done by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bengal in reaching out to sex workers during the pandemic.
7. US Presidential Elections – Biden takes lead in battleground State – As the presidential candidates prepared to make their way to Cleveland, Ohio, for the first presidential debate, a new poll in the crucial State of Pennsylvania showed Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a “sizeable but not definitive” lead over the incumbent - President Donald Trump. The Washington Post-ABC poll shows Mr. Biden leading Mr. Trump 54% to 44% among registered voters and 54% to 45% among likely voters, the Post reportedbut the margin of error for each candidate’s level of support is 5%, making this significant lead less than definitive. As per the Post’s reporting of the poll results, 53% of registered voters in Pennsylvania approve of Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy but 57% disapprove of how he has handled the coronavirus. Overall, 55% of registered voters disapproved of how Mr. Trump was handling his job.
8. India and its neighbourhood – Sri Lanka bans cattle slaughter – The government announced at the moment that it would take steps to import beef. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rajapaksa made a proposal to the parliamentary group of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP, or People’s Front) on banning cattle slaughter. For some years now, reactionary Sinhala-Buddhist groups, many of whom are supporters of the Rajapaksas, have been demanding a ban on cattle slaughter. Sri Lanka is a Buddhist majority country, those following the religion constitute 70% of the country’s population. Most of them do not eat beef, as they consider cows sacred, while minority Muslims, who make up about 10%, Christians and a section of Hindus consume beef.
9. Obituary – Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah dies at 91 – The architect of the nation’s modern foreign policy and mediator in some of the worst crises to grip the Gulf, died on Tuesday at the age of 91, the royal court announced. Sheikh Sabah had earned a reputation as a shrewd, unshakeable leader who helped steer his country through the 1990 Iraqi invasion, crashes in global oil markets and crises in Parliament and on the streets. The Emir, who has ruled the oil-rich Gulf state since 2006, had his appendix removed in 2002, two years after having a pacemaker fitted. Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (83), an elder statesman who has held high office for decades including the defence and interior ministries, is now expected to be appointed the new ruler. The 15th leader in a family that has ruled for over 250 years, Sheikh Sabah weathered Kuwait’s crises with shrewd judgement and an iron fist.
10. World – Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone widens as Turkey denies downing Armenian war plane – Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused one another of firing directly into each other's territory, while Turkey has denied shooting down an Armenian fighter jet as the worst regional fighting in the area since the 1990s raged for a third day. Fuelling tensions, Armenia said an F-16 fighter jet belonging to Azerbaijan's close ally Turkey had shot down one of its warplanes over Armenian airspace, killing the pilot. Armenia provided no evidence of the incident. Turkey and Azerbaijan called the claim "absolutely untrue".

Important Exam Notifications
S. No	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	MECON Limited	Junior Executive	8	CMA/ CA	OCT-12-2020	http://www.meconlimited.co.in/Writereaddata/Downloads/DetailedAdvt28092020.pdf
2	SAIL, IISCO Steel Plant	Nursing Staff Trainee	29	B.Sc.(Nursing)/ Dip (GNM)	10 Days	https://www.sailcareers.com/media/uploads/Advertisement_for_nursing_ISP.pdf
3	CDFD	Scientist – III, IV, V	5	M.Pharm / M.Biotech	NOV-20-2020	http://www.cdfd.org.in/Rcrtmnts/Advt_SS_2202009.pdf
4	MIDHANI	Assistant	6	Diploma (Mech. Engg)	11-10-2020 – Walk in	https://midhani-india.in/WordPress-content/uploads/2018/11/Detailed-Advertisement-28-09-2020.pdf
5	Tezpur University	Technical Officers-II	84	Dip(Civil Engg)	OCT-15-2020	http://www.tezu.ernet.in/Admin/Web_Notification_84_TO_II.pdf
6	BTSC	Ayurvedic Medical Officer, Ayush Physician	3270	BAMS/ BHMS/ BUMS	OCT-28-2020	http://www.freejobalert.com/btsc-bihar/771782/#AyurvedicMedicalOfficer
7	IGIMS	Nursing Officer, Jr Lab Technologist, Pharma.	71	Diploma, B.E/ B.Tech(Engg), Degree	OCT-31-2020	http://www.igims.org/DataFiles/Opportunities/237_F1_Advt.0008.pdf

 

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

1.1 Not Available Today

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

2.1 Weekly Round-up - Economy

• Parliament passes Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 - The Upper House of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha, in Sept 2020 passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was tabled by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The Bill had already been cleared by the Lok Sabha in March 2020.
• The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 seeks to convert aviation agencies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies.
• Under the new Act (after its implementation), any violation will attract heavy punishment, for example, violators will be punished up to two years in jail or fine up to Rs 10 lakhs or both. Carrying arms, ammunition, and explosives or other banned goods on board, and developing illegal construction around the airports will attract fines up to Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 1 crore.
• Parliament passes Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce Bill, 2020 - The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 has been passed by the parliament. It was passed by the Rajya Sabha on September 20, 2020 and Lok Sabha on September 18. The Bill seeks to give freedom to farmers to sell their produce outside the notified APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) market yards (mandis) and is aimed at facilitating remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels. Farmers will not be charged any cess or levy for sale of their produce under this Act.
• Parliament passes Farmers Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill - The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 has been passed by the parliament. It was passed by the Rajya Sabha on September 20, 2020 and Lok Sabha on September 18. The Bill seeks to give farmers the right to enter into a contract with agribusiness firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters, or large retailers for the sale of future farming produce at a pre-agreed price. It seeks to transfer the risk of market unpredictability from farmers to sponsors.
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package insurance scheme for health workers extended - The ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package insurance scheme for health workers fighting COVID-19’ has now been extended for another 180 days, said the Union Health Ministry on September 15, 2020. The scheme was announced on March 30 for 90 days and was extended for 90 days (up to Sept. 25). This Central sector scheme provides an insurance cover of ₹50 lakh to healthcare providers. The insurance is over and above any other insurance cover being availed of by the beneficiary.
• There is no age limit for this scheme and individual enrolment is not required. The entire amount of premium is being borne by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The benefit/claim is in addition to the amount payable under any other policies. The Ministry of Health and Family welfare has collaborated with the New India Assurance (NIA) Company Limited for providing the insurance amount based on the guidelines prepared for the scheme.
• India amends govt procurement norms concerning foreign companies - India on September 18, 2020 amended its public procurement rules to bar those entities of countries from participating in government procurement which do not allow Indian companies to participate in their Government procurement. The amendment also expanded the scope for local content requirement in public procurement tenders and allowed departments and ministries to mandate higher than minimum 50% and 20% local content stipulated earlier for two separate categories of local suppliers.
• FDI limit in defence sector increased from 49% to 74% under automatic route - The Central government has increased the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the defence sector from 49 to 74 per cent under automatic route and beyond 74 per cent through the government route. Making the announcement on September 18, 2020, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said that foreign investments in the defence sector will be subject to scrutiny on grounds of national security.
• India Inc’s business sentiment recovers in July-September: CII survey - India Inc’s business sentiment has improved during July-September quarter as the government gradually unlocked the economy and business activity resumed, according to the CII’s business outlook survey. The latest CII Business Confidence Index has surged to the level of 50.3 in July-September 2020, bouncing back from its lowest reading of 41.0 recorded in April-June 2020.
• ADB releases its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2020 Update - Asian Development Bank expects India’s economy to contract by 9% in FY2020-21 as against 4% forecast in June as the Covid-19 pandemic weighs heavily on economic activity and consumer sentiment in the country. ADB, however, forecasts a strong recovery for India’s economy in FY2021-22 in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2020 Update, with gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 8% as mobility and business activities resume more widely.
• Consumer price index (retail) inflation 6.69% in August - The consumer price index-based inflation (retail) was 6.69% in August mainly on the back of rising food prices.
• Wholesale price index (WPI) inflation at 0.16% in August - Wholesale price index (WPI) inflation rose to 0.16% in August from - 0.58% in July. It turned positive in August for the first time since March reflecting a recovery in producers’ pricing power.
• Export of all varieties of onion prohibited except in cut, sliced or powder form - India on September 14, 2020 prohibited the export of all varieties of onion except in cut, sliced or powder form. Rates have increased and there is shortage of onion in the domestic market. India exported $198 million of onions in the April-June period of FY21 and $440 million in the entire 2019-20.
• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended the creation of a multi-stakeholder body (MSB) – It is to ensure that Internet access providers adhere to the provisions of net neutrality - The MSB should be set up as a non-profit entity. Possible functions - (1) To provide advice and support to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in the monitoring and enforcement of net neutrality principles; (2) To investigate complaints regarding the violation of net neutrality; (3) To help DoT in the maintenance of a repository of reasonable traffic management practices. MSB could include telecom service providers, Internet service providers, content providers, researchers, academic and technical community, civil society organisations, and the government.

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

3.1 Important for Exams

• PM inaugurates projects under ‘Namami Gange’ and ‘AMRUT’ in Bihar - The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 15, 2020 inaugurated various projects under ‘Namami Gange’ Yojana and ‘AMRUT’ (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) Yojana in Bihar. These include 2 sewerage treatment plants in Patna city and water-related projects in Siwan and Chhapra under the ‘AMRUT’ Yojana.
• Sandalwood Spike Disease (SSD) in sandalwood trees of India - The natural population of sandalwood in Marymoor Sandal Forest of Kerala and various reserve forests in Karnataka, including MM Hills (Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary), are heavily infected with SSD. Sandalwood Spike Disease is an infectious disease which is caused by phytoplasma (bacterial parasites of plant tissues). There is no cure as of now for the infection. The infected tree will have to be cut down to prevent the spread of the disease.
• Campaign to Remove Lantana: Rajasthan - A special drive to uproot the invasive Lantana bushes in the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district has been carried out along with the plantation of native species on the cleared patches of land. This has helped in ecological restoration of grasslands and saved biodiversity. Native to Central and South America, Lantana camara is a small perennial shrub, which forms extensive, dense and impenetrable thickets. It is introduced in India in 1807 as ornamental plant. It is generally deleterious to biodiversity and is an agricultural weed.
• Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary - Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Udaipur (Rajasthan) it is a part of Sajjangarh Palace (also known as Monsoon Palace) built in 1884. The Palace derived its name from Maharana Sajjan Singh, one of the rulers of the Mewar dynasty. Area - 5.19 sq. Km. Animals like chitals, panthers, hares, blue bulls (Nilgais), jackals, wild boars, hyenas, and sambhar are found here. More than 279 Plant Species are found. Famous for Long-billed vulture, commonly known as the Indian vulture - Scientific Name: Gyps indicus - IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered - CITES Status: Appendix II - Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 Status: Schedule I.
• PM inaugurates six mega projects in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange Mission - These six mega projects of Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) are constructed at Haridwar, Rishikesh, Muni ki Reti, Chorpani, and Badrinath. Jagjeetpur, Haridwar project also marks the completion of the first sewage project taken up on hybrid annuity mode on public private partnership. The Government would provide 40% of the project cost and remaining would be borne by the private party. In Muni ki Reti town, Chandreshwar Nagar STP is the first four storied Sewage Treatment Plant in the country where the limitation of land availability was converted into an opportunity. All 30 STP projects (100%) are now complete in Uttarakhand for taking care of pollution from 17 Ganga towns near river Ganga, which is a landmark achievement. The Haridwar-Rishikesh zone contributes about 80% wastewater load into the River Ganga.
• Ganga Avalokan - the first museum inaugurated for Ganga - Located at Chandi Ghat, Haridwar the museum is dedicated to showcase the culture, biodiversity and rejuvenation activities done in Ganga river. ‘Rowing down the Ganges’, A book co-published by National Mission for Clean Ganga & Wildlife Institute of India is also launched. The logo of Jal Jeevan Mission and ‘Margdarshika for Gram Panchayats and Paani Samitis under Jal Jeevan Mission’ is also unveiled during the event.

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

4.1 India, Denmark agree to elevate bilateral relations to Green Strategic Partnership

• Key point – 

1. PM Modi and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen on Monday (September 28) held a virtual meet which marked the establishment of 'Green Strategic Partnership' between the two countries, opening a "new chapter in the friendly and cooperative relations between them".

• Important details –

1. Under the India-Denmark 'Green Strategic Partnership', the ambitious goals and actions will be identified within the areas and outlined in an Action Plan that will be worked out and endorsed as soon as possible.
2. The Green Strategic Partnership is said to be a mutually beneficial arrangement to advance political cooperation, expand economic relations and green growth, create jobs and strengthen cooperation on addressing global challenges and opportunities; with focus on an ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
3. The two prime ministers acknowledged the importance of establishing the 'Green Strategic Partnership, under which India and Denmark will cooperate through relevant ministries, institutions and stakeholders.
4. Both sides held an in-depth exchange of views in a warm and friendly atmosphere on bilateral relations, discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and global matters of interest to both sides, including climate change and green transition and reached a common understanding with a view to accelerating sustainable economies and societies.
5. During his opening remarks, PM Modi highlighted the importance to develop alternatives to the current global supply chain which is heavily dependent on countries like China.
6. Denmark has proposed to host the second 'Knowledge Summit' and if situation normalises, PM Modi is likely to visit the country for the summit.
7. To question on collaboration to control stubble burning and avoid air pollution, officials confirmed that the issue was discussed at the high-level meeting.
8. On the long-pending issue of extradition of Kim Davy, officials said: "It was mentioned. Concerned officials on both sides will be in touch and work towards an early resolution of the issue."
9. Kim Davy was the key conspirator of 1995 arms drop in Purulia district of West Bengal.
10. In 2012, India decided to scale down ties with Denmark after a lower court in the country refused extradition of Kim Davy and govt refused to go for a further appeal.
11. On the trade front, responding to a question on BTIA, officials said, "It was discussed. The leaders agreed that both sides will work towards an early conclusion of Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)."

4.2 Pakistan has decided to elevate Gilgit-Baltistan’s status to that of a full-fledged province

• Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the disputed territories of India. Gilgit-Baltistan is an autonomous region now and with this elevation, it will become the 5th province of the country.
• Currently, Pakistan has four provinces – Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh.
• This elevation will lead to adequate representation from the province on all constitutional bodies, including the National Assembly and the Senate.
• The Government will also start working on the Moqpondass Special Economic Zone (SEZ) under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• India has held that the Government of Pakistan or its judiciary has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it."

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

5.1 Foundation day of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

• The foundation day of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) was recently celebrated as “Kaushal Se Kal Badlenge” (25th September) by Ministry of Rural Development. 
• Events - Agripreneurship (entrepreneurship in agriculture) Programme was inaugurated. Guidelines regarding Captive Employment under DDU-GKY were released. Guidelines for Promotion of Integrated Farming Cluster (IFC) were also released. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for capacity building of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)/StartUps and providing incubation support in rural areas was signed.
  

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Round-up – Corporate World

• TikTok owner picks Oracle as US technology partner - Oracle said on September 14, 2020 that the Chinese owner (ByteDance) of TikTok has picked the U.S. company to be its "trusted technology provider" in a deal that could help keep the popular video-sharing app running in the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to ban TikTok by Sept. 20 and ordered owner ByteDance to sell its U.S. business, claiming national security risks due to its Chinese ownership.
• Russia’s sovereign wealth fund ties up with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories for Sputnik V vaccine - The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. have agreed to cooperate on clinical trials and distribution of Sputnik V vaccine in India. The Sputnik V vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
• KVIC gets Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal to remove 160 fake Khadi products online - The Khadi and Village Industries Commission said it had forced e-commerce portals Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and others to remove over 160 web links selling products under the brand name of ‘Khadi’. KVIC is a statutory corporation under the MSME Ministry and is the original owner of the ‘Khadi India’ brand.
• Bandhan Bank sets up Emerging Entrepreneurs Business - Bandhan Bank, which recently completed five years of operations as a bank, has set up a new vertical called Emerging Entrepreneurs Business (EEB) to support the emerging needs of the unbanked and underbanked segment of customers. The vertical will focus on supporting this segment of customers in their journey to becoming entrepreneurs.
• HDFC Bank is brand No. 1 again in BrandZ study - HDFC Bank, India’s largest private lender, has maintained its brand leadership in the country. In the BrandZ study, conducted by WPP and Kantar, LIC and Tata Consultancy Services ranked second and third, retaining their positions from 2019.
• Kia Motors India launches SUV Sonet - Kia Motors India on September 18, 2020 launched entry SUV Sonet priced between Rs 6.71-11.99 lakh (ex-showroom) to take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue and Ford EcoSport and Mahindra XUV300.
• Ashok Leyland unveils light truck ‘Bada Dost’ - Commercial vehicles manufacturer Ashok Leyland Ltd. (ALL) has rolled out ‘Bada Dost’, a light truck, in two versions. The product was developed under code named ‘Phoenix’.
• Facebook launches grants programme for SMEs - The Small and Medium Enterprises sector (SMEs) is reeling under the effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. To help SMEs across the world stay afloat Facebook had announced a $100 million Facebook Small Business Grants Programme to support around 30,000 SMEs in more than 30 countries including India.
• Apple launches Watch Series 6 - US technology company Apple on September 15, 2020 launched the Watch Series 6 with built-in sensor to monitor blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels. The smartwatch comes in GPS and GPS + Cellular variants priced at Rs 40,900 and Rs 49,900.
• SBI, Titan Company launch contactless payment services Titan Pay - SBI and Titan Company have partnered to launch contactless payment services through watches, called Titan Pay. SBI account holders can tap their Titan Pay watch on contactless payment POS machines without the need of swiping or inserting their SBI bank card. Payments of up to Rs 2000 can be made without entering a PIN.
• HDFC Bank’s Aditya Puri bags Euromoney award - Aditya Puri, MD, HDFC Bank, has been conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020. The publication has recognised Puri for his skills in building ‘a world-class Indian bank at a time when there were no similar institutions in existence’. The award comes just ahead of his retirement in October 2020.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 The Defence Ministry gives nod to acquisition of military hardware worth Rs. 2,290 crore

• Highlights –
  

1. The defence ministry has given approval for the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the US.
2. Besides clearing the proposal to buy the rifles, the other notable acquisitions approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) include procurement of smart anti- airfield weapon (SAAW) systems for the Navy and the Indian Air Force at an approximate cost of Rs 970.
3. The cost of procurement of the Sig Sauer assault rifles for the frontline troops of the Indian Army will be Rs 780 crore.
4. The DAC also gave approval for procurement of Static HF Tans-receiver sets under the buy Indian category at a cost of Rs 540 crore. The HF radio sets will enable seamless communication for the field units of the Army and the Air Force.
5. It is to be noted that the military equipment are being procured at a time Indian Army is locked in a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

7.2 The speeches at the UNGA by India and Pak PM

• India’s PM focused on India’s own role on the world stage and the need to reform the UN and expand the Security Council to give India more representation without making any reference to Pakistan and spoke about terrorism only in broader terms, the Pakistani counterpart focused less time on Pakistan, launching a verbal attack against India.
• Pakistan’s PM accused the Indian government of “state sponsorship of Islamophobia” and compared the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Nuremberg laws, as well as between detention camps in Assam and the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. Jammu and Kashmir also formed a part of his speech of PM of Pakistan which included accusations that the government’s moves to dilute Article 370 and reorganise J&K State into Union Territories contravene UN laws.

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

8.1 Maharashtra bans sale of loose cigarettes, beedis

• Key points – 
  

1. Maharashtra has become the first state in India to ban the sale of unpackaged “loose” cigarettes and beedis.

• Highlights –

1. The aim of the move is to ensure that customers see the graphic, public health warnings mandated on cigarette packaging.
2. Maharashtra currently contributes to around 8-10% of the cigarette sales volumes.
3. The State government has issued a notification in this regard, in the public interest.
4. This has been issued under subsection (2) of section 7 of the cigarette and other Tobacco Products (prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and commerce Production, supply and Distribution) Act, 2OO3 (Act No. 34 of 2OO3).
5. The move would impact youth aged 16-17, who do not have the financial resources to buy full packets of cigarettes or beedis, but “fuel India’s tobacco epidemic” and grown-ups who bought loose cigarettes and “never felt the pinch of higher taxes imposed on tobacco goods.”

8.2 Important for Exams

• Scrub Typhus (Bush Typhus) disease -  It is a bacterial disease which has caused five deaths and 600 infections in Nagaland’s Noklak district bordering Myanmar. It is caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi (Bacteria). It Spreads through bites of Larval Mites of family trombiculid, also called Chiggers. Its symptoms are - fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes rash. It occurs in rural areas of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia. It is treatable by Antibiotics. No vaccine is available for this disease.
• Scientists have warned India of another virus: cat que virus - Largely reported in China and having the potential to cause disease in India - The presence of this virus in culex mosquitoes and pigs has been reported in China and Vietnam. It is one of the arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Its natural host is a mosquito. Domestic pigs are the primary mammalian host of CQV. Availability of vector, primary mammalian host (swine) and confirmation of CQV from Jungle Myna. Besides, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune researchers have found antibodies for the virus in two out of the 883 human serum samples which were taken from various Indian states, indicating that people at some point contracted the virus. It can cause febrile illnesses, meningitis and paediatric encephalitis in humans.”

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

9.1 India’s AstroSat completes FIVE years of mapping stars, galaxies in space 

• Highlights –  

1. AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength astronomical observatory, has completed five years of imaging celestial objects in space.
2. Launched by the ISRO on September 28, 2015, in the five years of its operation, AstroSat has carried out 1,166 observations of 800 unique celestial sources proposed by scientists both from India and abroad.
3. AstroSat has explored stars, star clusters, mapping of large and small satellite galaxies of the Milky Way called ‘Magellanic Clouds’, an energetic phenomenon in the Universe such as the ultra-violet counterparts to gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, active galactic nuclei.
4. Its superior spatial resolution capability has enabled astronomers to probe star formation in galaxies as well as resolve the cores of star clusters (three times better than the last NASA mission, GALEX).
5. Observations from Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) have recently led to the discovery of a galaxy located at a distance of about 10 billion light-years from Earth and emitting extreme ultraviolet radiation that can ionize the intergalactic medium.
6. AstroSat has proved to be an important satellite capable of carrying out simultaneous observations over a range of wavelengths from the far ultraviolet to the hard X-ray band.
7. The UVIT is a remarkable 3-in-1 imaging telescope simultaneously observing the visible, the near-ultraviolet (NUV), and the far-ultraviolet (FUV) spectrum. It is one of the five payloads on board AstroSat.
8. Weighing a total of of 230 kilograms, the UVIT comprises two separate telescopes. One of them works in the visible (320-550 nm) and the NUV (200-300 nm). The second works only in the FUV (130-180 nm).
9. The UVIT project was led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an institute of the DST in collaboration with the Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, several centres of ISRO and the Canadian Space Agency.

9.1 Important for Exams

• MedSpark, one of the first medical device parks in the country will be set up in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala - Established by - (1) Department of Science and Technology (DST); (2) Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous institute of the DST; (3) Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (KSIDC). Fundings: From the state and central governments. Functions: (1) Focus on the high-risk medical device sector; (2) Provide a full range of services for the industry like research and development support, testing, and evaluation of medical devices; (3) Create an enabling support system for manufacturing support, technology innovation, and knowledge dissemination.
• Himalayan Chandra Telescope - To mark the 20 years of the first light event of the 2 m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) , IIA, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has organized a two-day online science workshop. It was installed at the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), Mt. Saraswati, Digpa-ratsa Ri, Hanle at an altitude of 4500 m (15000 ft) above by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore, in August 2000. The telescope remotely operated using a dedicated INSAT-3B satellite communication link from the Centre for Research & Education in Science & Technology (CREST), Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore. It is equipped with 3 science instruments like The Himalayan Faint Object Spectrograph Camera (HFOSC), the near-infrared camera and Optical CCD imager for regular observations. Facilities at IAO - Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen (GROWTH)-India.
• I-ATS (Automatic Train Supervision) - The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) launched indigenously-built 'i-ATS' (Automatic Train Supervision). It is communication-based train control signalling technology for the metro. It will significantly reduce the dependence of Indian metros on foreign vendors dealing with such technologies. It can work with train control and signalling systems of various suppliers.

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

10.1 Niti Aayog fine tuning indicators for ranking most backward districts: says Kant

• Key points –

1. Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has said the policy think tank is fine tuning indicators used in ranking 112 most backward districts every month under the government's Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP).
2. The ADP was launched in January 2018 in 112 most backward districts. It aims to transform districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas and emerged as pockets of under-development.
3. The Aayog ranks 112 most backward districts on 49 key performance indicators across six developmental areas - Health and nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, financial inclusion, skill development and basic infrastructure.
4. Mr. Kant believes that successful implementation of programmes like Aspirational Districts Programme is key to India achieving its Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
5. Mr. Kant also pointed out that the ADP has thrown up some very innovative best practices, as the programme encourages healthy competition.
6. Also speaking at the event, MIT Sloan School professor David Sarnoff said the great thing about the ADP is that it is not top-down but extremely stakeholder-driven.

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 was passed by the Parliament in September 2020. It seeks to convert aviation agencies like DGCA, BCAS and AAIB into statutory bodies.
• The Centre in Sept 2020 launched the AatmaNirbhar Bharat ARISE-ANIC programme to support MSMEs and start-ups. ARISE is Applied Research and Innovation for medium and Small Enterprises..
• Gujarat has topped the NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2020.
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39) announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020.
• Barakah nuclear power plant, the first nuclear plant which started operating in Aug 2020, is located in United Arab Emirates.

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!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

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

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