Daily Current Affairs 20 September 2019

Current Affairs of Today 

16th Session of the Joint Economic Commission between India and Belgium Luxembourg Economic Union

The 16th Session of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) between India and Belgium Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU) was convened in New Delhi on 17th September 2019. The Session was co-chaired by Anup Wadhawan, Commerce Secretary with Ms. Sylvie Lucas, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg.

The interest of Exchange between countries

India and BLEU side reiterated the importance of the JEC towards the development of bilateral economic and trade relations through facilitating dialogue and enhancing cooperation on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, such as, transportation and logistics, renewable energy, aerospace and satellites, audio and visual industry, agro and food processing industry, life sciences, ICT, traditional medicine, Ayurveda and yoga, and tourism.

The bilateral trade between India-Belgium and India-Luxembourg in the year 2018-19 was USD 17.2 billion and USD 161.98 million, respectively, registering a growth of 41% and 150%, as compared to 2017-18. Cumulative FDI inflows to India from Belgium and Luxembourg from April 2000 to June 2019 were around USD 1.87 billion and USD 2.84 billion, respectively.

About Joint Economic Commission 

JEC Sessions are convened based on an agreement signed in 1990 in New Delhi. This biennial event is organized in capital cities of the three countries alternatively and is the main vehicle for discussing economic and commercial issues between India and BLEU. 

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited delivers second Scorpene submarine“KHANDERI” to Indian Navy

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) called ‘Ship Builder to the Nation’, is one of India’s leading Defence public sector undertaking shipyards under the Ministry of Defence continuing their service to the nation with ‘’Make in India’’ program. They delivered the second Scorpene submarine ‘KHANDERI’ to the Indian Navy at an event held in Mumbai

About ‘KHANDERI'

The submarine ‘KHANDERI’ is named after the wide snouted Sawfish, a deadly sea predator of the great Indian Ocean. The first Submarine Khanderi was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 06th December 1968 and decommissioned on 18th October 1989 after more than 20 years of yeoman service to the nation. In true nautical tradition, she will now be ‘reincarnated’ by MDL to guard the vast maritime area of our nation.

Shri Pralhad Joshi confers the National Geoscience Awards

The National Geoscience Awards for the year 2018 for outstanding contributions in the field of geosciences, mining, and allied areas were presented to twenty-two scientists from across the country. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Shri Pralhad Joshi.

Award in 10 Disciplines

The National Geoscience Awards were given in ten disciplines covering Mineral exploration, Groundwater exploration, Mining technology, Mineral beneficiation, Sustainable mineral development, Basic and applied geosciences, Geo-environmental studies, and Natural hazards investigation. 

Awardees

Prof. Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), received the Award for Excellence for his significant global contributions in the field of aquatic biogeochemical research. Dr. Sohini Ganguly, of Goa University, was conferred with the Young Scientist Award-2018 for her significant work in the fields of petrology, volcanology, and geochemistry.

Ministry of HRD announces National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) Scheme for better learning outcomes in Higher Education

Ministry of Human Resource Development has announced a new PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Scheme, National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) for using technology for better learning outcomes in Higher Education.

The objective is to use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalized and customized as per the requirements of the learner. This requires the development of technologies in Adaptive Learning to address the diversity of learners.

MHRD would act as a facilitator to ensure that the solutions are freely available to a large number of economically backward students. AICTE would be the implementing agency for the NEAT program. Independent Expert Committees would be constituted for evaluating and selecting the EdTech solutions. MoUs will be signed with the shortlisted EdTech companies. Awareness programs would be taken up by MHRD to create awareness of the NEAT solutions to teachers and students.

 MHRD proposes to launch and operationalize NEAT  in early November 2019

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Shri Giriraj Singh releases “Handbook on Fisheries Statistics – 2018

• The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Shri Giriraj Singh released the “Handbook on Fisheries Statistics - 2018”, published by the Department of Fisheries of  Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India.
• The Fisheries sector is a major source of livelihood for over 1.60 Crore people along with double the number down and upstream.
• The total fish production of 12.59 million metric tonnes was registered during 2017-18 with a contribution of 8.90 million metric tonnes from the inland sector and 3.69 million metric tonnes from the marine sector.
• India is currently the world’s second-largest producer of fish. It is also world number two in aquaculture production as well as in inland capture fisheries
• The percentage contribution of inland fish production in the total fish production of 29% during the year 1950-51 and has increased to 71% in the year 2017-18.
• Andhra Pradesh has recorded the highest production of inland fish (34.50 lakh tones) whereas Gujarat is the leading state in Marine fish (7.01 Lakh tonnes) in the country. 

Vice Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria appointed next Chief of Air Staff

The government has decided to appoint Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria, presently Vice Chief of Air Staff as the next Chief of the Air Staff after the retirement of Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, on 30th September 2019.

Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of Indian Air Force in June 1980 and has held various Command, Staff and Instructional appointments at various levels including the present one as Vice Chief of Air Staff.

Keeladi findings traceable to 6th century BCE

In a major turning point in the cultural historiography of the ancient Sangam Age, the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department (TNAD) has stated that the cultural deposits unearthed during excavations at Keeladi in Sivaganga district could be safely dated to a period between 6th century BCE and

1st century CE. This is the first time the date has been officially announced by the TNAD. The new findings in the report, released on Thursday by Minister for Tamil Culture and Archaeology K.Pandiarajan here placed the Keeladi artifacts about 300 years earlier than previously believed 3rd century BCE. One of the six samples collected at the depth of 353 cm and sent for carbon dating test in the U.S. goes back to 580 BCE

Second Urbanization after Indus Valley 

The report titled, ‘Keeladi­An Urban Settlement of Sangam Age on the Banks of River Vaigai’, was published by the TNAD. The results from the fourth excavations suggested that the “second urbanization [the first being Indus] of the Vaigai plains happened in Tamil Nadu around 6th century BCE as it happened in the Gangetic plains.”  The report also spelled the site as Keeladi as against the

erstwhile widely used Keezhadi. The recent scientific dates obtained for the Keeladi findings pushed back the date of the Tamil­Brahmi script to another century, i.e., 6th century BCE

Hyderabad-Karnataka Region has been renamed as the 'Kalyana Karnataka' 

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa recently announced that Hyderabad-Karnataka Region has been renamed as Kalyana Karnataka Region that comprises six districts of Karnataka: Koppal, Ballari, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Raichur.

The 63rd Annual Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference

The 63rd Annual Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference is being held from 16 September to 20 September 2019 at Vienna, Austria. The Indian delegation to the conference was headed by Dr. K N Vyas, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Secretary of Department of Atomic Energy. Other high-ranking officials and representatives from the IAEA Member States are participating in the conference.

Vinesh Phogat won the Bronze medal at the Wrestling World Championships, Kazakhstan

Vinesh Phogat won the bronze medal at the Wrestling World Championships held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. She defeated Maria Prevolaraki of Greece in the 53 kg freestyle event. Vinesh Phogat has also won India an Olympic quota in the 53 kg freestyle event of the Tokyo Olympics.

15 power projects are inaugurated in Jammu & Kashmir

Union Power Minister RK Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik have jointly inaugurated 15 power projects. They also laid the foundation stone for 20 other different Centrally-sponsored schemes in Srinagar. Under a scheme, 1 lakh LED (light-emitting diode) street lights will be installed in Srinagar city, saving ₹29 crores annually to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. The government is working to ensure 24 hours electricity supply to all the citizens of the country, including in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Ladakh region.

London police returned Buddha to the Indian High Commission

London police returned the 12th Century AD Bronze image of Buddha which was stolen from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Museum at Nalanda in 1961 to the Indian High Commission. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman handed over the statue to the Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel. The bronze image of Buddha: The 12th Century AD Bronze image of Buddha seated in the Bhumipasara mudra was stolen by the British in August 1961. The art was influenced by Buddhism.

India has won 125 medals and topped in the Western Asian Youth and Junior Chess Championships 2019

Western Asian Youth and Junior Chess Championships 2019 was held from September 6-10, 2019 in New Delhi. It was organized by Delhi Chess Association (DCA). India won 125 medals. India finished with 44 gold, 41 silver, and 40 bronze medals. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan followed India.

Secunderabad junction received the first green Platinum rating from Indian Green Building Council

Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) has awarded the Secunderabad junction station of Indian Railways with a green Platinum rating. The biggest rail hub is the first Indian Railways to be awarded. The Secunderabad station has been awarded as it has introduced energy conservation initiatives and the inclusion of modern passenger amenities. This station includes, Air-conditioned waiting halls equipped with CO2 sensors, Installation of solar panels and LED lights, Solid waste management system.