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Important Current Affairs 30th August 2018 English

Important Current Affairs 30th August 2018

                                                        (International News)

India and ADB Sign $375 Million Loan to Improve Irrigation Efficiency in Madhya Pradesh
Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $375 million loan agreement to contribute to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh by expanding irrigation networks and system efficiency.
About the Project:
The Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project will develop 125,000 hectares of new, highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks and improve water use efficiency in more than 400 villages, benefiting over 800,000 people in Madhya Pradesh.
 
“The ADB funds will be used to develop a large-scale pressurized and automated irrigation system for boosting irrigation efficiency,” said Shri Mitra. “The Project will support institutional innovations through introduction of a design-build-operate contracting approach.”


 
MoU between India and USA in insurance regulatory sector
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Federal Insurance Office, USA.

Impact:

The MoU provides a framework for cooperation and coordination, including for the exchange of information and research assistance with respect to each Authority’s overview and other lawful responsibilities.  

India and USA have also agreed to continue to facilitate cooperation on international standard-setting activities, financial stability and the development and implementation of consumer protection through sound prudential regulation of the insurance sector.

Background:

IRDAI is a body set up under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 to regulate, promote and ensure orderly growth of the insurance and re-insurance business in India. Similarly, in USA, Federal Insurance Office (FIO) is vested with the authority to monitor all aspects of the insurance sector and to represent the USA on prudential aspects of international insurance.
 
India and USA have strong business relations with each other and both the countries have been in regular discussions at various political and official levels. Various institutional mechanisms have also been put in place over time to strengthen bi-lateral cooperation on wide ranging multi-sectoral issues between the two countries.
 


Umbrella scheme O-SMART of Ministry of Earth Sciences Approved
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for the umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”, for implementation during the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20 at an overall cost of Rs.1623 crore.  

The scheme encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science. 

What comes under the scheme?

Under the scheme, the important deliverables envisaged in the next two years include strengthening of ocean observations, modeling, ocean services for fishermen, setting up marine coastal observatories for tracking marine pollution in 2018, setting up Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Plant (OTEC) in Kavaratti in Lakshadweep.

The scheme also includes acquisition of two coastal research vessels, continuation of ocean survey and exploration of minerals and living resources, technology development for deep ocean mining- and setting up six desalination Plants in Lakshadweep, according to the statement.

The O-SMART is expected to provide necessary scientific and technological background required for implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy, setting up of the state-of-the-art Early Warning Systems to effectively deal with ocean disasters like tsunami, storm surges.

Cabinet approves signing of Air Services Agreement between India and Morocco
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the revised air services agreement to be signed between India and Morocco. After the new Air Services Agreement comes into force, the existing Air Services Agreement of December, 2004 shall stand superseded.  
 
Benefits:
The Air Services Agreement signifies an important landmark in the civil aviation relations between India and Morocco and has the potential to spur greater trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between the two countries.  It will provide enabling environment for enhanced and seamless connectivity while providing commercial opportunities to the carriers of both the sides ensuring greater safety and security.
 
Background:
Keeping in view of the growth in the civil aviation sector and also with a view to modernize and improve seamless air connectivity between the two sovereign nations, the existing Air Services Agreement between India and Morocco has been updated.
The existing Air Services Agreement between India and Morocco was signed in year 2004 and does not have the updated clauses on Safety, Security, Designation of Airlines, Commercial Activities, Tariffs etc. Besides, the provisions of Cooperative Marketing Arrangements which enable both sides to establish the code share on each other flights and also on the flights of 3rd country carriers are also not available in the present Air Services Agreement.

Health Ministry asks States to ban e-cigarettes

The Union Health Ministry has instructed all the States that e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) should not be sold under their jurisdiction.
Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Mizoram, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have already prohibited the use of e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, E-Shisha and e-nicotine-flavoured hookahs, and have prohibited the manufacture, import, sale and distribution of ENDS. The Health Ministry has issued an advisory for the other States to follow suit.
“ENDS products are a great health risk to the public at large, especially to children, adolescents, pregnant women and women of reproductive age. States and Union Territories are advised in larger public health interest, and in order to prevent the initiation of ENDS by non-smokers and youth, with special attention to vulnerable groups, to ensure that ENDS are not sold...,” it said.
Thirty countries including Australia, Singapore and Sri Lanka have already brought in such bans.

Cabinet apprised of tripartite MoU on animal husbandry
The Union Cabinet was apprised of an agreement between India, the UK and Northern Ireland for cooperation in the field of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries.
As per the MoU signed on April 17, 2018, a joint working group consisting of representatives of each country will be created.
The group will chalk out joint programmes and facilitate cooperation and consultation.
The MoU would promote consultation and cooperation in matters of mutual interest, collaboration in livestock health and husbandry, breeding dairying and fisheries management.
Besides, the agreement would put in place a mechanism to enrich feed and fodder nutrition and its bulk transportation in deficit areas to realise higher productivity and production in livestock.
It will also help in developing high tech fodder tree species nurseries with fodder crops.
Among others, the MoU will encourage collaboration for joint research for cross-learning with regard to innovative agriculture extension approaches including the use of information and communication technology (ICT).

India's economic growth rate to grow at 7.4 % in current financial year: RBI
 

The Reserve Bank expects India's economic growth rate to grow at 7.4 per cent in the current financial year on pick up in industrial activity and good monsoon.

According to RBI’s annual report, due to the evolving economic conditions, real GDP growth for 2018-19 is expected to increase to 7.4 per cent from 6.7 percent in the previous year.


                                                     (Science & Technology)

MoU signed between DBT and IEA on Enhancing Innovation for the Clean Energy Transition
 The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Enhancing Innovation for Clean Energy Transition.

The MoU seeks to deepen co-operation in support of clean energy innovations to accelerate the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of clean energy technologies in India and will help support the generation of data for policymaking and improve knowledge of good policy practices for innovation in India and around the world.

Department of Biotechnology
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is an Indian government department, under the Ministry of Science and Technology responsible for administrating development and commercialisation in the field of modern biology and biotechnology in India. It was set up in 1986.
International Energy Agency 
The International Energy Agency is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1974 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis. The IEA was initially dedicated to responding to physical disruptions in the supply of oil, as well as serving as an information source on statistics about the international oil market and other energy sectors.

Gaganyaan programme: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO, unveiled India's Gaganyaan programme for manned space flight before 2022 as announced by the Prime Minister on the Independence Day

About MISSION:

GSLV Mk III, the three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle, will be used to launch Gaganyaan as it has the necessary payload capability. Two unmanned Gaganyaan missions will be undertaken prior to sending humans.

The total programme is expected to be completed before 2022 with the first unmanned flight within 30 months. The mission will aim to send a three-person crew to space for a period of seven days. The spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400 km. The programme is expected to cost less than Rs 10 billion.

India will be the fourth country after the USA, Russia and China to send humans to space.


ISRO to outsource production of Polar Satellite and Small Satellite Launch Vehicles to private Industries

The Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO will outsource the production of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and Small Satellite Launch Vehicles to private Industries. 

The Indian Space agency Chairman K Sivan that private industries will play a major role in capacity building. 

Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is a system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is a Medium-lift launch vehicle. It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into sun-synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV in 1993, commercially available only from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).

                                                             

                                                                      (Sports)

Asian Games Update
Arpinder Singh Clinched a gold medal in the men’s triple jump event

Arpinder Singh won a gold medal in the men’s triple jump event. This is India’s first gold medal in men’s triple jump at the Asian Games in 48 years. The last gold was won in 1970 by Mohinder Singh Gill.
Arpinder Singh 
Arpinder Singh born 30 December 1992, is an Indian triple jumper. He also claimed a bronze medal in the sport in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He is supported by Anglian Medal Hunt Company, a company that supports young Indian athletes towards international competitive success, with an especial aim at the Olympics.

Swapna Barman women’s heptathlon gold medal winner
Swapna Barman won the gold medal in the women’s heptathlon at the 2018 Asian Games. A heptathlon is a combined event consisting of 7 track and field events. In the women’s event, these seven are - 100 metres hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 metres, long jump, javelin throw and an 800m race.

Swapna Barman
Swapna Barman was born 29 October 1996, is an Indian heptathlete. She was placed first in the Heptathlon at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships. She is supported by the GoSports Foundation through the Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme.
 

                                                         (National News)
Government constitutes new science and technology council to advise PM
 

The Union Government has constituted a 21-member science and technology council to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi on matters related to science, technology and innovations.

The council, named as Prime Minister's Science Technology and Innovation Advisory Committee (PM-STIAC), will be headed by K Vijay Raghavan, the principal scientific adviser to the Union Government.

Key Details  : PM-STIAC

• The panel will advise the Prime Minister on all matters related to science, technology and innovation and monitor the implementation of PM’s vision on the same.

• It will facilitate the formulation and implementation of policies and decisions and provide action-oriented and future preparedness advise and assist in directing science and technology to solve the socio-economic problems in the country.

• It also aims to lay special emphasis on driving innovation in education and research.

The key members of the panel include:
Manjul Bharghava: Noted mathematician and professor at Princeton University.
Major General Madhuri Kanitkar: First woman dean of Army Forces Medical College, Pune.
A S Kiran Kumar: Former ISRO chief
VK Saraswat: Member of NITI Aayog and former DG of DRDO
Ajay Sood: Professor at Indian Institute of Science
Subhash Kak: Professor at Oklahoma State University, United States
Sangamitra Bandopadhyay: Director of Indian Statistical Institute
Baba Kalyani: Indian Industrialist and MD of Bharat Forge


 

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