Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 13-01-2021

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 13-01-2021

• [message]
• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Agriculture – SC stays implementation of three controversial farm laws – The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of three controversial farm laws, calling its order “extraordinary” and a “victory for fair play”. The stay on the implementation of the laws means that the Centre cannot, for the time being, proceed with any executive actions to enforce the laws. The court formed a four-member committee of experts “to listen to the grievances of the farmers on the laws and the views of the government and make recommendations”. The court said several rounds of negotiations between the Centre and the farmers had produced no results, even as senior citizens, women and children among the protesters were exposed to serious health hazards posed by the cold and the spread of COVID-19.
2. Covid-19 – Delhi govt. targets 1,000 vaccination sites – The Delhi government has asked all 11 District Magistrates (DMs) to submit a list of vaccination sites, after checking their feasibility, to increase the number of such centres in the city to 1,000. On January 16, the first day of the vaccination drive, inoculation will take place at 89 hospitals and then it will be scaled up. Also, the COVID-19 vaccination will be carried out six days a week in hospitals, except on Sundays. But in dispensaries, it will take place only four days a week. The government has identified 621 cold chain points, including hospitals, dispensaries and mohalla clinics, and the 1,000 vaccination sites or vaccinations booths will be established at these cold chain points. The Delhi government’s aim is to inoculate 1 lakh people a day by increasing the vaccination sites to 1,000. Each of the 1,000 sites is expected to inoculate 100 people a day.
3. Economy – Inflation slows to 4.59% as food prices ease – India’s retail inflation decelerated appreciably to 4.59% in December, from 6.93% in November, dipping below 6% for the first time since March 2020 as food prices cooled. Other data released by the NSO, however, showed that a nascent industrial recovery, which had begun in September, retreated in November as industrial output shrank 1.9%. The lowest consumer price inflation (CPI) print in 14 months was driven by an sharp slowdown in food price inflation, which eased to 3.4% in December, from the preceding month’s 9.5%. India’s index of industrial production (IIP) for November was dragged lower by mining and manufacturing, which both shrank, as per quick estimates. Mining output contracted 7.3% in the month, while manufacturing declined 1.7%, indicating an unwinding of inventory build-ups with the quenching of pent-up and festive demand.
4. Science & Technology – Update won’t affect privacy: WhatsApp – In the wake of a backlash over its updated privacy policy, Facebook-owned WhatsApp has clarified that the update would not affect users’ messages to friends or family. The changes only relate to messaging a business using the platform. In an FAQ posted on its website, WhatsApp added that this update includes changes related to messaging a business on WhatsApp, which is optional, and provided further transparency about how the company collects and uses data. Interestingly, in a new survey by community social network LocalCircles comprising almost 9,000 participants, 15% respondents said they would stop using WhatsApp, while 26% said they would “drastically reduce” their usage of the platform and start using other platforms such as Signal and Telegram.
5. World – Worries rise over more violence in U.S. – U.S. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced his resignation unexpectedly on January 11 as worries rose over more violence during President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration next week. Mr. Wolf’s departure as head of the body in charge of security for the January 20 event came five days after President Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, hoping to prevent Mr. Biden from replacing him. The Homeland Security Department oversees several law enforcement bodies, including the Secret Service, the point agency for security for the White House and the U.S. President. An internal FBI document warned of the possibility that armed Trump supporters could hold protests in all 50 States between the coming weekend and January 20.
6. World – Malaysia declares state of emergency over virus surge – Malaysia’s king has declared a nationwide state of emergency to fight a coronavirus surge and Parliament was suspended, with critics charging that it was a bid by the unstable government to cling to power. The surprise move came a day after the PM announced sweeping new curbs across much of the Southeast Asian nation, including the closure of most businesses, and warned the health system was “at breaking point”. It is the first time Malaysia has declared a national state of emergency in over half a century and Mr. Muhyiddin confirmed Parliament would be suspended and elections would not take place for the time being. But the leader, whose 10-month-old administration is showing signs of falling apart, insisted that “the civilian government will continue to function”.
7. World – Ahead of Gyawali’s visit, Nepal, India differ on conducting ‘border talks’ – The Kalapani territorial dispute is expected to be “raised” by Nepal during the Joint Commission meeting to be held during the visit of Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali this week, but there will be no “border talks”. The visit will instead focus on the Joint Commission agenda, which includes a broad spectrum of development projects, the officials said, adding that the boundary issue that erupted last year over Nepal’s decision to include Indian territories in its map, would be handled separately only when the designated Foreign Secretary-level mechanism, which is agreed upon bilaterally, meets. In Nepal, however, officials said the resolution of the dispute remains important for improving overall bilateral ties that plunged to new lows last year.
8. Polity & Governance – Labour codes may be implemented before April 1 – The four labour law codes enacted by Parliament in 2020 and 2019 could be implemented before the earlier target of April 1. The codes, which have amalgamated 29 laws governing minimum wages, occupational safety, social security into four codes, were earlier expected to be implemented by April 1. While the rules under the Code on Wages, 2019 have been finalised, those under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and the Social Security Code, 2020 were yet to be notified.
9. People & Personalities – Renowned astrophysicist Professor Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre passes away at 84 – Renowned astrophysicist Professor Shashikumar Madhusudan Chitre passed away on January 11, aged 84 years old. A recipient of Padma Bhushan, he was a stalwart of the Indian astronomy community, particularly solar physics. He retired as a senior professor from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, in 2001. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the University of Mumbai – Department of Atomic Energy Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (UM-DAE CEBS) in the Kalina campus of the university.
10. Covid-19 – Bharat Biotech to supply Covaxin to Brazil – Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech has signed an agreement with Precisa Medicamentos, a firm in Brazil, to supply the COVID-19 vaccine candidate to the Latin American country. Twelve million doses of the indigenous vaccine are likely to be supplied over a period of time and the first consignment is expected to be shipped shortly. The company will probably be the first to export COVID-19 vaccines. Ambassador of Brazil André Aranha Corrêa do Lago had also expressed interest on behalf of the government of Brazil towards procurement of Covaxin.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	Army Recruiting Office, Cuttack	Soldier	--	8th, 10th Class, 10+2	24-02-2021	http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/BRAVO_NotificationPDF/Rally_Notification_Cuttack.pdf
2	MIDHANI	Junior Technician, Operator, Junior Artisan & Junior Staff Nurse – 9 Posts	9	SSC, ITI, Diploma (Engg), B.Sc Nursing/ 10+2 with GNM/ Any Degree	23-01-2021	https://midhani-india.in/WordPress-content/uploads/2018/11/Recruitment-of-Non-Executives21-1.pdf
3	Indian Army	Junior Commissioned Officer	194	Any Degree	09-02-2021	https://joinindianarmy.nic.in/
4	Army Recruiting Office, Rangapahar	Soldier	--	8th, 10th Class, Intermediate	22-02-2021	https://img.freejobalert.com/uploads/2021/01/Notification-Indian-Army-JCO-Posts.pdf
5	Army Recruiting Office, Rangapahar	Soldier	--	10+2/ Intermediate	22-02-2021	http://www.joinindianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/Portal/BRAVO_NotificationPDF/Dimapur_Rally_for_Manipur-Clerk_SKT_and_NA.pdf

 

• [message]
• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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

1.1 Not Available Today

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

2.1 Budge 2021

 

 

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

3.1 Not Available Today

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

4.1 Weekly Round-up – India and the World  

 

• India has expressed “serious concerns” over the demolition of the Karak Hindu Temple by a mob in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. In a written demarche to the Pakistan High Commission on December 31, 2020, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it expected the Pakistan government to share details of its investigation into the attack on the temple that was set on fire and demolished by a mob.
• Pakistan on January 1, 2020 handed over a list of 319 Indian prisoners including 49 civil and 270 fishermen lodged in the country’s jails to the High Commission of India as part of a bilateral agreement. Reciprocally, the Indian government also simultaneously shared the list of 340 Pakistani prisoners in India, including 263 civilians and 77 fishermen with the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi.
• Chief of Army Staff General M. M. Naravane held extensive talks with his South Korean counterpart, Gen Nam Yeong Shin to boost bilateral military ties in Seoul on December 31, 2020. He also visited the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – a buffer zone that separates North and South Korea since the Korean war in the 1950s.
• The government has allowed import and export of COVID-19 vaccines without any value limitation, in order to ensure speedy clearance and distribution. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has amended the regulations to facilitate the import/export of COVID-19 vaccines through courier, at locations where the Express Cargo Clearance System (ECCS) is operational.
• The External Affairs Ministry on December 30, 2020 launched the Global Pravasi Rishta portal and app to connect with the Indian diaspora across the world.
• The Union Cabinet on December 30, 2020 approved the opening of three Indian Missions in Estonia, Paraguay and Dominican Republic in 2021.
• Rafale fighter jets of India and France will carry out wargames codenamed Exercise SKYROS in Jodhpur in the third week of January next year. These wargames are different from the routine Garuda series exercises.
• The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in Maharashtra recently signed an MoU with UNDP India to co-create India’s first Social Impact Bond (SIB). This type of bond lays down outcome-based targets to be achieved at the start of the contract.
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 28, 2020 called on Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha and discussed strengthening the economic and security cooperation between the two countries. Jaishankar also met Prime Minister Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, who is also the Gulf country’s Interior Minister.
• An Indian expatriate in the UAE has entered the Guinness World Records for the 19th time, after he unveiled a 8.2 square metre giant pop-up greeting card, commemorating the 15th Accession Day of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Ramkumar Sarangapani, a Dubai resident, now holds the most-number of world records by an individual in the UAE and India, the Gulf News reported.
• Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has been nominated a member on the GAVI Board by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. He will represent India for two years starting from 2021 to 2023. The GAVI Board oversees the operations of the Vaccine Alliance and monitors programme implementation.

• [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 News Round-up – Arts, Culture and History 

 

 

• Actor Sonu Sood releases his autobiography ‘I am no Messiah’ - Actor Sonu Sood, who grabbed the headlines this year due to his philanthropic efforts to help migrants and those in need, released his autobiography titled ‘I am no Messiah’ co-written by Meena Iyer.
• Ancestral houses of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor in Pak to become museums - Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government on January 2, 2021 approved the release of ₹2.35 crore to purchase the ancestral houses of legendary Bollywood actors Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor located in the heart of Peshawar and declared as the national heritages. After procurement, both the houses will be converted into a museum by the KP archaeology department.
• French designer Pierre Cardin dies at 98 - Pierre Cardin, the French designer whose famous name embossed everything from wristwatches to bedsheets, died at the age of 98 in Paris on December 29, 2020.

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

7.1 Guidelines for enrollment & education of migrant children impacted by Covid-19

 

Key point –

• The Union Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for educating migrant children across the country, whose studies were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are the guidelines –

• Conducting door-to-door survey to identify out-of-school children and those with special needs between the ages of 6 to 18 years with the help of school teachers and volunteers, and preparing an action plan for their enrolment.
• Encouraging migrant students to attend home-based classes and undertake non-residential training with the help of community classrooms.
• Exploring the option of classroom-on-wheels and conducting classes in small groups at the village level to support the education of underprivileged students.
• Increasing the access of children to online and digital resources, use of TV and radio to reduce learning losses.
• Ensuring easy and timely access to providing uniforms, textbooks, and mid-day meals to the children.
• Undertaking enrollment drives for students at the beginning of the academic year as part of ‘School Chalo Abhiyaan’ and ‘ Praveshotsav’ and maintaining attendance registers for students to ensure they regularly attend the classes.
• Creating COVID-19 related awareness such as wearing masks, using sanitizers, and maintaining social distancing inside the school premises.  
• Identifying students across different grades based on their learning levels and relaxing detention norms to prevent drop out.
• The ministry has also suggested encouraging children to read books beyond the syllabus and indulge in creative writing and problem solving.
• Large-scale remedial programs and learning enhancement programs should be held to mitigate learning loss and inequality, have also been recommended. 

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

8.1 UK raises $1 bn to support Covid-19 vaccination

 

Highlights –

• The United Kingdom has raised USD 1 billion from global donors to fund vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 in developing countries.
• The UK has helped to raise USD 1 billion for the coronavirus COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) through match-funding other donors, which combined with the Pound 548 million [USD 744.5 million] of UK aid pledged will help distribute one billion doses of coronavirus vaccines to 92 developing countries in 2021.
• Officials belive that it is fitting that, on the 75th anniversary of the UN, the UK has led with our allies to make one billion doses of coronavirus vaccine available to vulnerable countries.
• The first meeting of the UN General Assembly took place on January 10, 1946, at Westminster Central Hall in London.

8.2 Free data card for online classes

 

Key points –

• The Tamil Nadu government will provide free data cards of 2 GB per day capacity to over 9.69 lakh college students to enable them to attend online classes till April this year.
• The move was being effected since the colleges have remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were conducting online classes.
• As many as 9,69,047 students studying in government and aided Arts and Sciences colleges, engineering colleges and polytechnic institutions will benefit from the move, where data cards will be given to them from January to April 2021 free of cost.
• Students in self-financed institutions will also be covered under the initiative, which will be implemented through the state-run Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT).

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

9.1 ISRO to adopt 100 ATL 

 

Key points –

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has adopted 45 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in the first phase out of the total 100 labs.
• The remaining 55 ATLs will be adopted by ISRO soon, to promote education in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), space education, and space technology related innovations for school students.

Important details –

• An ATL provides activity-based learning so that young minds can give shape to their ideas for societal problems which also fosters entrepreneurship and innovation.
• The ATL enables over three million students in 6-12 standard to acquire problem solving, tinkering and innovative mindset.
• ISRO officials shall actively mentor the kids as well as interact with teachers in these ATLs - encouraging experiments, brainstorming ideas and spreading awareness about outer space activities.
• As per reports, students involved in these ATLs would be invited as guests to witness future launches from India's rocket port located in Sriharikota. 

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

10.1 Not Available Today

 

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Dec 2020 inaugurated the Thoubal Multipurpose Project in Manipur.
• The government launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan II: Catch the Rain Awareness Generation Campaign in New Delhi in Dec 2020.
• Manglesh Dabral (age 72) passed away in Dec 2020. He had returned his Sahitya Akademi Award in 2015.
• UNESCO to launch $50,000 international prize in the field of ‘creative economy’ in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
• Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank speaks to his UAE counterpart Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi.

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!

---