Daily Current Affairs
1) Multi-Product Road Show in Jakarta by APEDA
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) organized a multi-product roadshow in association with the Embassy of India in Jakarta on 16th September 2019. A 40-member delegation of exporters of rice and sugar led by Chairman APEDA, Paban Kumar Borthakur visited Jakarta and held a meeting with Minister of Trade, Republic of Indonesia, Enggartiasto Lukita. B2B meeting of Indian exporters was organized in Jakarta by APEDA with Indonesian importers for these products. The Indian delegation also met with Bulog Indonesia, Indonesia Logistics Bureau, a government-owned company in Indonesia which deals with food distribution and price control.APEDA is organizing a roadshow in Medan, Indonesia on 18th September 2019.
2) Air-to-Air Missile Astra successfully flight tested from Su-30 MKI
The air-to-air missile, ASTRA, has been successfully flighted tested on 16 September 2019 off the coast of Odisha. The missile was launched from Su-30 MKI as a part of User trials. The live aerial target was engaged accurately demonstrating the capability of first indigenous air-to-air missile.
The mission profile was executed in a textbook manner. Various Radars, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Sensors tracked the missile and confirmed its engagement with a target.
3) ISRO and DRDO ink MoUs to provide technologies for human-centric systems for Human Space Mission
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has partnered with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission to demonstrate its human space flight capabilities. A delegation of ISRO scientists, led by Director, Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, signed a set of MoUs with various DRDO labs to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the Human Space Mission.
The DRDO Labs are:
The MoUs were signed by Directors of
- Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment (ADRDE),
- Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL),
- Defence Bio-Engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory (DEBEL),
- Defence Laboratory (DL) Jodhpur,
- Centre for Fire, Explosive & Environment Safety (CFEES),
- Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS)
4) Government to increase MGNREGA wages to revive the rural economy
A slow down in the rural economy and a heavy fall of demand, the Centre
plans to inject more money
into the UPA’s flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme by
linking wages under the Act to an updated inflation index, which will be revised
annually.
It hopes this will increase wages, thus increasing purchasing power and reviving
rural demand.
Some economists question whether linking wage rates to a better inflation index will be sufficient, given that MGNREGA workers are paid much lower than market rates. The national average wage
of an MGNREGA worker is ₹178.44 per day, less than half of the ₹375 per day minimum wage recommended by a Labour Ministry panel earlier this year.
5) Researchers find two new plant species in the Western Ghats
The discovery of two new plant species belonging to the Asclepiadaceae or milkweed family from the shola forests of the Western Ghats, highlighting its rich biodiversity and the need for a conservation strategy for the fragile ecosystem. Latex in plant parts and pappus seeds are the general
characteristics of the family. Tylophora balakrishnanii, a straggling vine, has been discovered from the Thollayiram shola in Wayanad, a biodiversity hotspot in the Nilgiri biosphere reserve.
Flowers of the plant are reddish-pink and the species is similar to the coastal plant Tylophora flexuosa. Tylophora neglecta has been discovered from the shola forest on the Thooval Mala hill under the Achencoil division in Kollam. The flowers of the species are white with a violet tinge.
Its leaves are thick and bristly in nature
6) Ministry of Railways decides to adopt the HOG system (Head on Generation technology) in all LHB Coaches trains
In the new technology called - Head on Generation technology, the power will be drawn from the Overhead Electric supply. The power generator cars which used to make a huge noise and emit fumes will no more be there. In place of two such generator cars, there will be one standby silent generator car to be used for emergencies. In place of the other car, there will be LSLRD (LHB Second Luggage, Guard & Divyaang Compartment). This LSLRD will also have the capability to convert power from the overhead supply to be utilized in the entire train while providing space for luggage guard room and additional passengers. Currently, the cost of power is over Rs. 36 per unit and with HOG it will available at Rs. 6 Per unit.
It is planned to convert all LHB trains to the HOG system within this year. To date, 342 trains have already been converted into HOG. This is resulting in saving of approximately Rs 800 crore per year now. 284 more trains are to be converted into HOG by the year-end to be resulting in more savings. The way ACs run and power supply is done in railway coaches is to transform. Such new technological transformation is also to bring in foreign exchange saving of about 1400 Crore Rupees per year.
7) Design for Divyangjan-accessible toilets showcased in ‘San-Sadhan’ Hackathon
With Government of India working towards a Divyangjan-friendly nation, participants of San-Sadhan Hackathon, organized by Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) in association with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog came out with thought-provoking ideas for accessible toilets for Divyangjans.
The participants competed in four categories which included Rural Individual Use Toilet, Rural Community Use Toilet, Urban Individual Use Toilet, and Urban Community Use Toilet. The winners were given cash awards and piloting opportunities in the field across the country under SBM.
Three innovators emerged as winners and one as a runner up out of 21 applications which were shortlisted from a total of over 130 teams who had applied for the hackathon.
8) BEML will join hands with Wipro they will work together on aerospace AI and 3D printing
Defence PSU BEML Ltd and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering signed an MoU to work together in the areas of aerospace, industrial automation, 3-D printing artificial intelligence and hydraulic system engineering. The MoU entails the two firms working together on projects, products, systems, services and projects for DRDO Labs and other government entities in India as well as overseas. The key focus areas include aerospace components and parts through SEZ, metal additive manufacturing and design optimization for new critical aggregates, legacy components & spares, and process automation.
9) The Kerala government has recently inked MoU with the Maldives on cancer care.
The Kerala government and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) have jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maldives (GoM) to strengthen cancer care in the island nation. The pact aims to bolster cancer care programs in the Maldives through the expertise of RCC. As part of the agreement, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory staff with the health care centers in the Maldives are to be provided with special training at RCC.
10) Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) the new tax refund Scheme, which will replace Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS).
Scheme for Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Product (RoDTEP) will replace Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS). It will come into effect from January 1, 2020. Existing dispensation in textiles of MEIS + old Rebate of State Levies (RoSL) will continue up to 31.12.2019. Textiles and all other sectors which currently enjoy incentives up to 2% over MEIS will transit into RODTEP from January 1, 2020. In effect, RODTEP will more than adequately incentivize exporters than existing schemes put together.
11) Uttarakhand government has launched Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana
The Uttarakhand government has recently launched Mukhyamantri Dal Poshit Yojana (MDPY) to provide low-priced pulses for poor in the State. As per the scheme, two kg of pulses at subsidized rates would be made available to 23.32 lakh ration card holders every month. The Chana dal (chickpeas split) is being made available at a rate of Rs 44 per kg/month. The current market rate of this pulse is Rs 65 to 70 per kg.
12) Ministry of Commerce & Industry introduced a new Export Credit Insurance Scheme to ease the lending process, NIRVIK
Ministry of Commerce & Industry through Export Credit Guarantee Corporation has introduced a new Export Credit Insurance Scheme called NIRVIK. The Niryat Rin Vikash Yojana has been launched to enhance loan availability to exporters and to ease the lending process. Under the new scheme NIRVIK, up to 90 percent of the principal amount and interest will be covered through insurance.
13) Arunachal Pradesh inaugurated it's first community-managed mini-hydro electric project.
The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu has inaugurated the 24 kW(Kilowatt ) Dikshi Hydroelectric Project on the Phudungto river at Dikshi village in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. The project was developed by a Hyderabad (Telangana) based firm Devi Energies Private Limited. It is the State's first community-managed mini-hydro electric project and also the first independent power project of its kind in the Northeast. The power plant is expected to generate 112.40 gigawatt-hours of electricity for addressing the power requirements of East and West Kameng districts besides major defence establishments. The plant consists of 3 Francis type turbo-generators having a capacity of 8.0 MW each, was completed in a record time of 4 years since commencement in 2016 with an investment amount of about 430 crore rupees.
14) According to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India's position in the world to provide international standard bulletproof jackets is 4th
According to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), India has become the 4th country after the US, UK, and Germany to have its own national standard on the bulletproof jacket which provides 360-degree protection. Now, India has also begun exporting bulletproof jackets as per its own standards to over 100 countries including European nations. As per the BIS norms, two PSUs Medani and Ordnance factory at Avadi, Chennai and private firms SNPP (Palwal), Starwire (Faridabad) in Haryana and MKU (Kanpur) in Uttar Pradesh are manufacturing bulletproof jackets. The BIS is a national body that sets quality standards for various products and services.
15) Labour Minister Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar Gives Away Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar and National Safety Awards for the Performance Year 2017
Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (I/C) for Labour and Employment gave away Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP) and National Safety Awards (NSA) for the performance year 2017 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
About Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar and National Safety Awards
The Ministry of Labour and Employment has been operating the "Vishwakarma Rashtriya Puraskar (VRP)" (Previously known as ShramVir National Awards) and "National Safety Awards (NSA)" since 1965. These Award schemes are operated by the technical wing of the Ministry, namely the Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), Mumbai - an attached office of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. DGFASLI renders technical advice/service to workers, their representatives & management in factories and docks to make the industrial activities safe and to promote workers' health & well-being.
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