Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 September 2020

1. Parliament passes the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill 2020.

• Rajya Sabha has passed the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill 2020. It was earlier passed in Lok Sabha in March 2020.
• An Ayurveda institution called the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) would be established at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
• The institution will be given the status of Institution of National Importance (INI). It will be the first institution with such status in the AYUSH sector.
• The three institutes- Institute of Post-Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurved Mahavidyalaya and the Indian Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences located in Jamnagar will be merged into one.

2. Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan passed away due to age-related issues.

• The famous scholar of Indian classical dance and art, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, has passed away at the age of 91.
• She had served as the founding Director of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
• She also served as the secretary to the government in the Ministry of Education.
• She was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2006 and was renominated in 2007.
• Some of the books written by her include The Square and the Circle of Indian Arts, Bharata: The Natya Sastra, Dance in Indian Painting, and Transmissions and Transformations: Learning Through the Arts in Asia, etc.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. India joins Djibouti Code of Conduct as Observer.

• India has joined the Djibouti Code of Conduct/ Jeddah Amendment (DCOC/JA) as Observer.
• Apart from India, Japan, Norway, UK and US are also Observers to the DCOC/JA.
• Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct was adopted in 2017. It recognizes the important role of the blue economy in supporting sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
• Djibouti Code of Conduct:
  • It was established in January 2009.
  • It is a grouping of countries adjoining the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, East Coast of Africa and island nations in the Indian Ocean Region.
  • Members: 20 countries
  • It aims at ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.

4. 10^th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative Group meeting held.

• The 10^th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, DTTI Group Meeting was held virtually as part of India-US Bilateral Defence Cooperation.
• DTTI group meetings are held twice a year, alternatively between India and US.
• Four Joint Working groups are established under DTTI focusing on land, naval, air and aircraft carrier technologies.
• DTTI group aims to create opportunities for co-production and co-development of defence equipment.
• A statement of Intent was signed during the meeting to strengthen the dialogue on defense technology cooperation by pursuing detailed planning and making measurable progress.

(Source: News on AIR)

5. Balli Durga Prasad Rao Garu passed away.

• Lok Sabha MP from Tirupati Balli Durga Prasad Rao Garu has passed away at the age of 65.
• He made valuable contributions towards the progress of Andhra Pradesh.
• He had served as a School Education minister in the Chandrababu Naidu cabinet in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. World Patient Safety Day: 17 September

• The first World Patient Safety Day is being observed on 17 September 2020 to increase public awareness and spur global action to promote patient safety.
• On 29 May 2019, 72^nd World Health Assembly adopted a resolution to observe World Patient Safety Day annually on 17 September.
• The day recognizes patient safety as a global health priority and calls for action by all countries and stakeholders to improve patient safety.
• 134 million adverse events occur each year due to unsafe care in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to 2.6 million deaths annually.
• 4 out of 10 patients are harmed in the primary and ambulatory settings.
• Theme 2020: "Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety."
• Slogan: Safe Health workers, Safe patients!

(Source: WHO)

7. Development Council for Footwear & Leather Industry (DCFLI) constituted.

• DPIIT has issued a notification for establishment of Development Council for Footwear & Leather Industry (DCFLI).
• It has been constituted for formulating and implementing promotional and developmental measures for the growth of labour intensive footwear and leather sectors in India.
• There will be a total of 25 members in this council. Shri R K Gupta will be the Chairman for 2 years. The other members (24) have also been nominated.
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is a department under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It was founded in 1995.
• Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal

8. Minister of Culture informed Lok Sabha about setting up of K N Dikshit Committee.

• Minister of Culture Prahlad Singh Patel has informed the Lok Sabha about setting up of an expert committee headed by K N Dikshit.
• The committee has been constituted for conducting holistic study of origin and evolution of Indian culture and its interface with other cultures of the world.
• Kashinath Narayan Dikshit is the Chairman of the Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi. He also served as the Director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):
  • It is an Indian government agency associated with the Ministry of Culture.
  • It is responsible for archaeological research and for the preservation and maintenance of cultural monuments in the country.
  • It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi.

9. NABARD will implement new loan scheme for women’s SHGs.

• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) will be implementing a new loan scheme for women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) from 2^nd October 2021.
• These loans will be given to women’s SHGs to start production of value added food products like chips, pickles, jams, etc.
• 68% of the agriculture and allied activities have been affected due to COVID-19 and NABARD is giving top priority to this sector.
• NABARD:
  • It is an apex development finance institution that provides credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas.
  • It is fully owned by the Government of India.
  • It was formed on 12 July 1982.
  • Chairman: Shri Govinda Rajulu Chinthala
  • Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra

(Source: News on AIR)

10. Environment Ministerial Meeting (EMM) of the G20 countries held via video conferencing.  

• The Environment Ministerial Meeting (EMM) of the G20 countries was held virtually under the Presidency of Saudi Arabia.
• Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar applauded the launch of the Global Initiative to reduce Land Degradation and Coral Reef program under the G20 this year.
• The Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation aims to strengthen the framework to prevent, halt and reverse land degradation.
• The Global Coral Reef R&D Accelerator Platform aims to create a global research and development (R&D) program to advance research, innovation and capacity building to enhance coral reefs conservation.
• G-20:
  • It is the global forum for the governments and central bank governors that was founded in 1999.
  • G20 or group of twenty, includes 19 countries and the European Union.
  • There is no permanent secretariat of G20.
  • Current Chairman: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (King of Saudi Arabia)

(Source: PIB)