Today's Current Affairs - 5th November 2022

NATIONAL

UIDAI unveils new chatbot ‘Aadhaar Mitra’ for better resident experience

• The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Friday launched the new AI/ML based chatbot, ‘Aadhaar Mitra’ for better resident experience.
• The new chatbot has enhanced features like check Aadhaar enrollment/update status, tracking of Aadhaar PVC card status, and information on enrollment centre location. Residents can also register their grievances and track them using the bot.
• UIDAI placed top among all Group A ministries, departments and autonomous bodies for resolving public grievances in the rankings report published by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) for the month of October 2022. This is the third month in a row when UIDAI has topped the rankings.
• “UIDAI has a robust grievance redressal mechanism comprising of UIDAI HQ, its Regional Offices, Technology Centre, and engaged contact centre partners. UIDAI has been a facilitator for both ease of living and ease of doing business and it has been continuously striving to make Aadhaar holders experience progressively better," said the Ministry of Electronics & IT in a press release.

Union Minister Shri Giriraj Singh unveiled a booklet on "Agenda for Members of Panchayati Raj Institutions for Rural Development” 

• Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri Giriraj Singh unveiled the booklet "Agenda for Members of Panchayati Raj Institutions for Rural Development”. Through this booklet, information about all the schemes such as MGNREGA, Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojna- National Rural Livelihood Mission, PM Awas Yojna- Grameen, PM Gram Sadak Yojna, etc. will be available to the representative and the general public. This Booklet will soon be brought in regional languages.
• The Minister hoped that the booklet will be made available at each Gram Panchayat in the country and it can form the basis for an informed discussion on the different schemes of the Ministry of Rural Development among members of the Gram Panchayats. He said that this booklet will help everyone including the elected members of Gram Panchayats in understanding the schemes and their eligibility, which will further strengthen transparency and public participation.

 OBITURY

Arunachal Pradesh BJP legislator passes away

• Jambey Tashi, MLA from Lumla assembly seat in Arunachal Pradesh, passed away due to following illness. He was 48. Tashi was the sitting MLA from the Lumla Assembly constituency of Tawang district. He was holding the post of Advisor to the Planning and Investment Minister of the state. He died in a hospital in Guwahati.
• Born on October 7, 1974, Tashi was actively involved in social activities right from the beginning and became an Anchal Samiti member in 2001. He was elected to the legislative assembly from his home constituency Lumla in 2009 unopposed and was appointed as Chairman State Medicinal Plants Board till 2011 and later became Parliamentary Secretary for Civil Aviation. He was re-elected to the legislative assembly for the 2nd term and held the post of Parliamentary Secretary.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

FICCI names Subhrakant panda as next president

• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Wednesday named Subhrakant Panda as its next president.
• Panda, the Managing Director of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA), currently serves as the senior vice-president of FICCI.
• In a statement, FICCI said Panda would succeed Sanjiv Mehta as president of the apex chamber at the conclusion of its 95th AGM to be held on December 16-17.
• Panda said, "I consider it a privilege to helm this great institution at a crucial time. Even as the India growth story gathers momentum, there is work to be done pushing the reforms agenda further, besides engaging with stakeholders on important issues such as decarbonisation and sustainability."
• Panda has been active in FICCI for two decades and was the first chairman of the FICCI Odisha State Council.

MoE sets up panel to strengthen assessment, accreditation of higher educational institutions

• The Ministry of Education has set up a high-level panel to strengthen the assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions, on November 4, 2022. The panel will be headed by Dr K Radhakrishnan, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIT Kanpur. He is also the chairperson of the Standing Committee of IIT Council.
• “The mandate of the committee includes strengthening the assessment and accreditation processes and preparing a road map for the National Accreditation Council envisioned in the National Education Policy, 2020. India has one of the largest and diverse education systems in the world,”.
• “Accreditation plays a vital role in making quality assurance an integral part of the functioning of higher educational institutions. Accreditation assists the institutions to understand their strengths and weaknesses through an informed review process, thus facilitating identification of internal areas of planning and resource allocation by them,” the official said.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

World Tsunami Awareness Day 2022: 05th November

• In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated November 5 as World Tsunami Awareness Day, calling on countries, international bodies and civil society to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction. UN Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) facilitates the observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day in collaboration with the rest of the United Nations system. The date of November 5 was chosen to mark the story of “Inamura-no-hi” (burning of the rice sheaves) in western Japan. This earthquake occurred in 1858.
• The theme of World Tsunami Awareness Day 2022 in Asia-Pacific: Early Warning and Early Action Before Every Tsunami. This day is celebrated to raise awareness for early warnings and actions to protect people, save lives, and prevent the hazard from becoming a disaster.

 SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav to lead Indian delegation at COP 27 in Egypt

• Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav will lead Indian delegation to attend the 27th Session of Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27). The conference is scheduled to be held at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from 6th to 18th November. At COP 27, countries come together to take action toward achieving the world's collective climate goals as agreed under the Paris agreement and the convention. Heads of States and Government will attend the conference. India is fully engaged with the process and is supportive of the efforts by Government of Egypt for substantive outcomes at COP 27.
• Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry said, India is committed to both domestic action and multilateral cooperation on climate change, and will continue to fight all global environmental concerns in the call to protect humanity’s planetary home. India is looking forward to substantial progress in the discussions related to climate finance and clarity on its definition. The goal of 100 billion US Dollars per year of climate finance by 2020 and every year thereafter through 2025 is yet to be achieved.

 AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Malayalam novelist Sethu chosen for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram

• Noted Malayalam fiction writer, Sethu (A. Sethumadhavan) has been selected for the Kerala government’s prestigious ‘Ezhuthachan Puraskaram’ this year in recognition of his overall contribution to the Malayalam language and literature. He focussed on modernising the literature by standing beyond the definitions of movements and trends.
• Apart from this, he was the recipient of several awards, including both from the Kendra Sahitya Akademi and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi awards, his well-known works include Pandavapuram, Kaimudrakal, Adayalangal, Kiratam, Araamathe Penkutty and Kilimozhikalkkappuram. Several of his works have been translated into various Indian and foreign languages and also inspired several movies.
• A banker by profession, the 80-year-old’s noted works include ‘Pandavapuram’ and ‘Atayalangal’ (novels) and ‘Petiswapnangal’ and ‘Sethuvinte Kathakal’ (short story). Sethu is also a recipient of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for both novels and short stories.

French govt to honour Aruna Sairam with Chevalier award

• Carnatic vocalist, composer, collaborator, humanitarian and speaker, Aruna Sairam has been honoured with the French government’s highest honour, Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des award. Aruna Sairam has been selected for this award not just for her singing prowess, but also for her contribution towards the development of the Indo-France relationship.
• Aruna Sairam began her classical training under her mother, Rajalakshmi Sethuraman. She then became a disciple of legendary vocalist, Sangita Kalanidhi T. Brinda, thereby continuing an illustrious line of women singers of the Tanjore tradition for more than eight generations. Later, she was mentored by several other maestros of our country.
• Her music has erased geographical borders when she was the first to incorporate Abhang, a Western Indian musical form, into a traditional, South Indian concert. By interacting with national and international musicians, Aruna communicates beyond regional contexts, using melody as a language of human expression.

 RANKING

India has cheapest manufacturing cost globally, bags 31st position: Report

• India has been ranked as the nation with the cheapest manufacturing cost ahead of China and Vietnam, according to a report. According to the US News and World Report, out of 85 nations, India has bagged the 31st position in the overall Best Countries ranking.
• The report evaluates 85 countries across 73 attributes. Attributes are grouped into 10 sub-categories, including adventure, agility, entrepreneurship, open for business, social purpose and quality of life.
• Under the open for business sub-category, India has scored 100 per cent when it comes to cheap manufacturing costs. India featured at the 37th spot in the ‘Open for Business’ category. But in ‘favourable tax environment’, it has scored 16.2 out of 100; 18.1 in the ‘not corrupt’ category and 3.5 in ‘transparent government policies’.
• Similarly, under the ‘quality of life’ segment, India has scored 1.9 in ‘income equality’; 4.3 in ‘safe’; 2.3 in ‘well-developed public health system’; and 9.9 in ‘economically stable’ sub-parameter.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

India’s foreign exchange reserves finally jump by $6.56 billion to snap two weeks of fall

• India’s foreign exchange reserves logged their biggest weekly jump since September 2021 and also rose for the first time in three weeks for the week ended October 28, helped by gains in both foreign currency assets and gold reserves. The foreign exchange reserves of Asia’s third largest economy rose by $6.56 billion to $531.08 billion for the week ending Oct 28, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India.
• The foreign currency assets (FCA), a major component of the overall reserves, rose by $5.77 billion to $470.84 billion in the reporting week. Even gold reserves increased by $556 million to $37.76 billion.
• Experts said the surge in the reserves during the reporting week was on account of valuation gains arising out of depreciation of the US dollar against major currencies.
• The US Dollar Index (DXY) has fallen from around 112 at the beginning of October to around 111 at the end of the month. The index is a measure of the value of the greenback against six major currencies — the Euro, UK Pound, Canadian Dollar, Japanese Yen, Swedish Kroner and Swiss Franc.