Daily Current Affairs and GK | 11 August 2020

1. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh launched several new initiatives for modernization and upgrading of the defense sector.

• Recently Defense Minister Rajnath Singh launched several new initiatives for modernization and upgrading of defense sector through digital.
• It is part of the Atmanirbharta week of the Ministry of Defense.
• At the same time, he also inaugurated new infrastructure creation by Public Sector Defense Undertakings and Ordnance Factory Board.
• The Ministry of Defense is taking major steps towards self-reliant India. Under this, the Ministry of Defense recently banned the import of 101 defense equipment.
• The restricted list for import includes not only small but large arms and important technology. Soon more items will be added to this list, which will reduce expenditure of crores of rupees on imports.
• At the same time, several steps will be taken towards indigenization of defense, investment in infrastructure and increasing manufacturing capacity. These steps will provide huge opportunities for the domestic defense industry.

(Source: News on AIR)

2. World Biofuel Day: 10 August.

• World Biofuel Day is celebrated annually on 10 August every year to raise awareness regarding the usefulness of biofuels.
• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in India has been celebrating World Biofuel Day since 2015.
• This year, a webinar was organized on the occasion of World Biofuel Day.
• The theme of this webinar: Biofuels towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Biofuels are produced through contemporary processes from biomass. While fossil fuels are produced by the very slow geological processes.
• A large amount of agricultural residues is available in the country and hence there is a large area of ​​production of organic fuels. Ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-gas are the three major organic fuels. If these three sources are exploited, dependence on crude oil imports and on gas will also be reduced to a great extent.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned from his post.

• Recently, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has resigned from his post.
• Hassan Diab has taken this step in view of public outrage due to the huge explosion in Beirut.
• The terrible explosion on 4 August at the Beirut port caused widespread destruction, killing more than 160 people and injuring nearly six thousand people.
• Lebanese President Michel Aoun has accepted the resignation of the Diab government and has asked him to remain in the acting capacity until the formation of a new cabinet.
• Lebanon:
  • It is a country in Western Asia.
  • It borders Syria and Israel.
  • Its capital is Beirut and the currency is the Lebanese Pound.

(Source: News on AIR)

4. A contract was signed between India and Maldives for the development of five eco-tourism zones in Addu Atoll.

• Recently a contract has been signed between India and Maldives for the development of five eco-tourism zones in Addu Atoll.
• These eco-tourism zones are part of the grant projects being implemented under the High-Impact Community Development Project Scheme (HICDP). Under this, Maldives will be given a total grant assistance of US $ 5.5 million.
• Currently, 9 such high-impact projects are being implemented in the Maldives.
• The most important objectives of these projects are to develop high-impact assets, build capacity within local councils and support the local island economy.
• Contracts were also signed for the other three HICDP projects at Addu related to the establishment of fish processing plants between India and Maldives.
• HICDP is an important dimension of the dynamic development partnership between India and Maldives. These will be implemented by the City and Local Council.
• Addu Atoll, also known as Seenu Atoll, is the southernmost atoll of the Maldives.
• Maldives:
  • It is a small island nation in South Asia, located in the Arabian Sea.
  • It is located about 700 km from the mainland of the Asian continent to the south-west of Sri Lanka and India.
  • Its capital is Male and currency is Maldivian rufiya.

(Source: News on AIR)

Attempt Quiz of Independence Day

 

5. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated National Infrastructure Pipeline online dashboard.

• Recently Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) online dashboard in New Delhi through video conferencing.
• Through this dashboard, all information about the infrastructure sector project will be available.
• The dashboard is being operated through India Investment Grid (IIG).
• India Investment Grid is an online platform on which real-time investment prospects and conditions in the country are displayed.
• NIP is a forward-looking approach on infrastructure projects, it will help make development in India more inclusive which will give the following benefits:
  • New employment opportunities will be available.
  • Ease of Living.
  • Equal access to infrastructure will be ensured for all.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Gandagi Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.

• Recently Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has announced the Gandagi Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
• The campaign has been announced outlining cleanliness as an important measure in the fight against the Corona pandemic.
• The campaign will run from 8 to 15 August.
• Under this, the outline of daily activities for the whole week has been set.
• Under the campaign, all the communities from district to village level will be made aware of the positive aspects of cleanliness and health by the personnel of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
• Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also inaugurated a Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra on Swachh Bharat Mission in Delhi.

7. Indigenous communities of Rajasthan highlighted on the occasion of International Day of Indigenous People of the World.

• Indigenous communities of Rajasthan were highlighted on the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous People of the World, which is celebrated on 9 August every year.
• On this occasion a virtual program was organized on protection of intangible cultural heritage and diverse cultural traditions in Moklawas village of Jodhpur, where a Thar Desert Museum has also been established.
• During the two-day program, special emphasis was laid on the upliftment of the two communities Langa and Manganiyar.
• Langa and Manganiyar are hereditary professional Muslim musicians mostly residing in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts.
• The Covid-19 pandemic has stunted their global exposure, causing them to face challenges to survive.
• Jodhpur's Rupayan Sansthan is helping these folk artists from western Rajasthan who are struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic through a social media campaign called Maru Mani.

8. IIT Kanpur has developed an indigenous seed ball called BEEG.

• Recently in Uttar Pradesh, IIT Kanpur has developed an indigenous seed ball called BEEG.
• BEEG i.e. Bio-compost Enriched Eco-friendly Globule.
• BEEG has been enriched with the right ingredients and seeds for early sprouting, and is the best way to utilise the monsoon.
• This will help people and farmers in plantation with safety in Corona time and also provide employment to the people.
• In seed balls, native seeds are covered with manure and soil.
• There is no need to dig a pit to plant. These seed balls are to be sprayed at target locations and they will sprout when exposed to water.

(Source: News on AIR)

9. As part of Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series, a series of five webinars containing the Independence Day theme prepared.

• Recently, a series of five webinars containing the Independence Day theme has been prepared by the Ministry of Tourism as part of the Dekho Apna Desh webinar series.
• It will collectively refer to the subject matter embodied in the freedom movement.
• Under this, the Ministry of Tourism organized a webinar titled Memoirs of 1857 – A Prelude to Independence.
• This is first in this series of ‘Independence Day’ themed webinars and the 45^th among overall Dekho Apna Desh webinars.
• Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series is an effort to showcase India's rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat and it is also reinforcing the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat through a continuous virtual platform.
• Revolt of 1857:
  • It was a revolt against the rule of the British East India Company. It was led by different people in different areas.
  • It began on 10 May with a revolt by the Indian soldiers of the company in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is simply called the Sepoy Mutiny by the British.
  • But now it is recognized as the first war of independence against the British rulers.
  • The Indian Revolt of 1857 was ultimately unsuccessful.

10. EPFO ​​has ensured uninterrupted service by Umang app during Covid-19 pandemic.

• The Employees Provident Fund Organization has ensured uninterrupted service through Umang app during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Presently any PF member can avail 16 different EPFO ​​services on his mobile phone using the Umang app.
• To get these services, it is necessary to have an active universal account number (UAN) and mobile number registered with EPFO.
• Umang App:
  • UMANG stands for Unified Mobile Application for New Age Governance.
  • It is an integrated, secure, multi-channel, multi-platform, multi-lingual, multi-service mobile app of the Government of India.
  • It was launched in 2017.
• Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO):
  • It is an organization to assist the Central Board of Trustees.
  • It was established on 4 March 1952.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

11. India-Canada IC Impacts Annual Research Conference concluded.

• Recently the India-Canada Center for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnership to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability i.e. IC Impacts Annual Research Conference was concluded.
• IC Impacts has resulted in 1,129 publications, 63 bilateral research projects, 24 technology deployments, 352 partnerships and 29 patents and technology experiments between the two countries.
• In this conference, it was discussed to take bilateral cooperation to a new level in different areas:
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Quantum sciences
  • New research in electric mobility
  • Increase women's participation in science between the two countries
  • Diversity in technology deployment science
• The Department of Science and Technology has been collaborating with IC Impacts in the field of research since 2013.
• The objective of this partnership is to collaborate to address community needs in both countries.
• The major areas of research cooperation between the two countries under IC-IMPACTS are:
  • Green buildings and smart cities.
  • Measures to protect people living in buildings during a fire.
  • Integrated water management and safe and sustainable infrastructure.
  • Health problems arising from water borne and infectious diseases.

(Source: P.I.B)

12. KVIC will open a training-cum-production center for silk in Arunachal Pradesh.

• The first training-cum-production center of silk in Arunachal Pradesh will be opened by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.
• The center is scheduled to start in the first week of September in the tribal village of Chullyu.
• Machines like handloom, spinning wheel, silk reeling machine and wrapping drum have already arrived and installation of the machines is in full swing.
• The first batch of 25 local artisans from Chullyu village have been selected for training.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
  • It is a statutory body constituted by the Government of India under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act 1956 of the Parliament in April 1957.
  • It is headquartered in Mumbai.