Daily Current Affairs and GK | 2 September 2021

Topic:  Environment and Ecology

1. IIT Madras is developing an online platform to tackle e-waste.

• IIT Madras is developing an online platform named e-Source to tackle e-waste in the country.
• It will help in bringing all various stakeholders of the formal and informal sectors at one platform.
• This initiative will help in recycling 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste generated annually around the world. It is being spearheaded by the Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (IGCS).
• Under this initiative, a detection system will be deployed for extracting product information and upload it to the database.
• ‘E-Source’ platform will act as an exchange platform for waste electrical and electronic equipment. It will act as a formal medium between buyers and sellers.
• India is the third-largest e-Waste producer in the world. However, only five percent of e-waste gets recycled.
• Andhra Pradesh government had launched India's first online waste exchange platform on 5 June 2020.

Topic: India and its Neighbourhood

2. Sri Lanka declares food Emergency as forex crisis worsens.

• Sri Lankan President declared food Emergency as private banks run out of foreign exchange to finance imports.
• The Sri Lankan government has allowed officials to seize food stocks held by traders and arrest people who hoard essential food.
• Authorities will take control of the supply basic food items, including rice and sugar. They will also set prices to control the price of food items.
• The food items will be provided at government regulated prices or based on the customs value on imported goods.
• Increase in the foreign exchange rate is the main factor behind the surge in food item price. In 2021, the Sri Lankan rupee has fallen by 7.5 percent against the US dollar.
• Last year, Sri Lanka had banned the import of vehicles and other items to stop the outflow of foreign currencies.

Topic: India and its neighbourhood

3. Soft skills training programme for women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh launched by India.

• India has launched Soft skills training programme for women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh.
• The year-long programme has been launched by the High Commission of India in association with the ICT Ministry of Bangladesh and Women & E-commerce and SilkOak global limited.
• Over 700 women entrepreneurs have already registered for the training programme, which will be run in hybrid mode with physical workshops and virtual learning elements.
• High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami announced that High Commission of India will support the establishment of the ‘Ishwara Chandra Vidyasagar’ Library by ‘Women & E-commerce’ at their premises.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

4. Indian Army to participate in Exercise ZAPAD 2021.

• Indian Army will participate in Exercise ZAPAD 2021, which is a Multi Nation exercise being held at Nizhniy, Russia from 03 to 16 September 2021.
• A 200 personnel contingent of Indian Army will participate in the Exercise. Exercise ZAPAD 2021 is one of the theatre-level exercises of the Russian Armed Forces.
• It will focus primarily on operations against terrorists. More than a dozen countries from Eurasian and South Asian Regions will participate in it.
• The NAGA Battalion group participating in the exercise will feature an all Arms combined task force.
• The exercise aims to enhance military and strategic ties amongst the participating nations.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. Dr. Firdousi Qadri conferred with Ramon Magsaysay Award 2021.

• The Ramon Magsaysay Award awardees' names have been announced for the year 2021.
• Dr. Firdousi Qadri of Bangladesh, Muhammad Amjad Saqib of Pakistan, an environmentalist Roberto Ballon of the Philippines, American citizen Steven Munsi and Indonesian organization WatchDoc have received Ramon Magsaysay award for the year 2021.
• Dr. Firdousi Qadri has been awarded for developing an affordable oral cholera vaccine and the typhoid conjugate vaccine for adults, children, and infants.
• Muhammad Amjad Saqib of Pakistan has developed a first-of-its-kind interest-and-collateral-free microfinance programme. He created the largest microfinance institution of Pakistan.
• Steven Munsi, a US citizen, has been recognized for humanitarian work. He has dedicated his life to assisting refugees, and peace building in Asia.
• Roberto Ballon from the Philippines has been awarded for efforts to revive the fishing industry by creating sustainable marine ecosystem.
• Watchdoc, Indonesia, has been awarded for its investigative journalism, documentary film-making, and use of digital technology.

Topic: Personality in News

6. Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani passed away.

• Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has passed away at the age of 92.
• He first contested the Assembly elections in 1972 and represented Sopore in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for three terms.
• He was a supporter of the armed struggle for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He was the chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference.
• He was a member of Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir but later he founded Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.
• In 2020, the Pakistan government awarded him with Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian honour of Pakistan.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

7. PM Modi released a commemorative coin of Rs 125 on the birth anniversary of Swami Prabhupada.

• On the occasion of the 125^th Birth Anniversary of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a special commemorative coin of 125 rupees.
• Swami Prabhupada founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 1966. ISKCON has translated Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta and other Vedic literature into 89 languages.
• ISKCON is commonly known as the "Hare Krishna movement".
• Swami Prabhupada was born on 1 September 1896. His book ‘Bhagavad-gita As It Is’ is a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.

Topic: State News/ Jammu and Kashmir

8. LS Speaker inaugurates outreach programme for PRI empowerment in Jammu and Kashmir.

• Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla has inaugurated a parliamentary outreach programme for the empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The main objective of this programme is to make Panchayati Raj Institutions stronger, transparent, and accountable.
• Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that an empowered Panchayats will make our democracy stronger and make people’s lives better.
• On this occasion, he assured that necessary steps will be taken for the capacity-building programmes of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.

Topic: Science and Technology

9. Urban Air Laboratory developed World’s first ‘Plant based’ smart air-purifier.

• IIT Ropar’s incubated startup company, Urban Air Laboratory, has developed the world’s first ‘Plant based’ smart air purifier.
• The living-plant-based air purifier has been named “Ubreathe Life”. It will help in the air purification of indoor space.
• It purifies air through the air-purifying natural leafy plant. Phytoremediation is a process by which plants effectively remove pollutants from the air.
• ‘Ubreathe Life’ removes gaseous and biological contaminants and increases the oxygen level in the indoor space.
• It consists of a centrifugal fan that releases purified air formed at the bottom of the root. The specific plants tested for air-purification include Peace Lily, Snake Plant, Spider plant, etc.

Topic: Defence

10. Indian Navy signed a contract with BEL for procuring first indigenously developed Naval Anti Drone System (NADS).

• The Indian Navy has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the supply of the first indigenously developed Naval Anti Drone System (NADS).
• Naval Anti Drone System (NADS) has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by BEL.
• Naval Anti Drone System (NADS) can detect micro drones, it uses a laser-based mechanism to terminate the targets.
• It uses Radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, and radio frequency (RF) detectors to detect and jam the micro drones. It was first deployed to provide security cover for this year’s Republic Day parade.
• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will supply static and mobile versions of NADS to the Indian Navy.

Topic: State News/Goa

11. Goa becomes first state in India to provide free water to people.

• Goa has become the first state in India to provide free water to people.
• Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched the 'Save Water to Get Free Water' scheme on 07 August 2021.
• Under the scheme, households in Goa will not be charged for consumption of up to 16,000 litres.
• Goa CM said that 60% of the households will get zero water bills from 01 September. He also announced that small businesses and restaurants will also be able to avail the benefit of the scheme.

Topic: Appointments

12. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approves appointment of J B Mohapatra as Chairman of CBDT.

• Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Jagannath Bidyadhar Mohapatra (J B Mohapatra) as Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• In May 2021, Mohapatra was given additional charge of CBDT Chairman when the extended tenure of incumbent Pramod Chandra Mody (PC Mody) ended.
• Mohapatra is an IRS officer of the 1985 batch. He was already serving as a member of CBDT since May.
• Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) frames policy for the Income Tax Department of the country. It is headed by a Chairman. It consists of six members.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

13. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) signs MoU with South Asian Institute for Advanced Research and Development (SAIARD).

• NMCG has signed MoU with SAIARD for ‘Capacity Building on Integrated River Basin Management with a focus on Geospatial Technology in Riverine Ecosystem’.
• The MoU has also been signed to create an academic platform as well as to develop a research and capacity building hub to support regional development in the eastern region.
• With the signing of this MoU, SAIARD will be considered as the regional capacity-building center for NMCG in the eastern region.
• An MoU was also signed between the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and SAIARD.
• In this collaboration, SAIARD Centre for Urban and Built Environment (CUBE) will work with NIUA to implement capacity building activities.
• South Asian Institute for Advanced Research and Development (SAIARD) is a premier academic cum research institution. It is registered under NITI Aayog. Its head office is in Kolkata.
• National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) was established in 1976. It is located in New Delhi. It is India’s leading national think tank on urban planning and development.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society on 12^th August 2011. It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Important Days

14. World Coconut Day: 02 September

• World Coconut Day is observed every year on 02 September.
• The theme for World Coconut Day 2021 is "Building a Safe Inclusive Resilient and Sustainable Coconut Community Amid COVID-19 Pandemic & Beyond".
• The day is particularly celebrated in Asian and Pacific nations which are home to most of the world’s coconut producing areas.
• The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance and benefits of coconut.
• Asia Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) celebrated the first World Coconut Day on September 2, 2009.
• Coconut belongs to the drupe family. It is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae). It is the only living species of the genus Cocos. It is known as ‘sri phal’ in Sanskrit.
• Coconut palm is frequently called ‘tree of life’ owing to its use in food, fuel, medicine, cosmetics, building materials and various other uses.