Daily Current Affairs and GK | 22 October 2020

1. HCNG dispensing centre for buses inaugurated in Delhi.

• A hydrogen enriched-Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) plant and the dispensing station have been inaugurated at the Rajghat Depot in New Delhi.
• It was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.
• Hydrogen enriched-Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) plant is set up by IOCL in collaboration with the Delhi Transport Department.
• Hydrogen enriched-Compressed Natural Gas is considered as one of the cleanest fuel so it can replace fuel such as gasoline, diesel, LPG, Petrol, etc.
• It reduces the emission of carbon dioxide and increases fuel efficiency, which would result in overall fuel saving.
• For switching on HCNG fuel, buses will require minimum modifications in the existing system.
• Fifty cluster buses have been operated on HCNG as part of the trial.
• Hydrogen fuel cell technology is one of the cleanest fuels because it only produces water and heat instead of emissions.
• What are the benefits of Hydrogen as Fuel?
  • It has high energy content per unit mass- three times higher than gasoline.
  • It is a rich source of energy and is abundant.
  • It is environment friendly and can help to reduce global warming.
  • It is a clean energy source and can decarbonize many industrial sectors.
  • It is one of the best options for storing energy from renewables.
• What are the disadvantages of using Hydrogen?
  • Extraction of Hydrogen is very expensive.
  • Hydrogen has a lower density, which means it has to be compressed and stored at a lower temperature.
  • It is a highly flammable and volatile substance.

2. Union Health Minister launched “CUReD” website for COVID-19 repurposed drugs.

• The CUReD website has been launched by the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan for providing information about the COVID-19 drugs, diagnostics, devices and current stage of trials.
• It will provide details about the CSIR collaboration with Industry and other government departments and ministries for the COVID- 19 clinical trials.
• CSIR has collaborated with the Ministry of AYUSH for clinical trials based on AYUSH drugs. It has undertaken the safety & efficacy trials of AYUSH prophylactics and therapeutics based on individual plant-based compounds and their combinations.
• CSIR has collaborated with Cadila for the clinical trial of Sepsivac (Mw). Phase 2 of the trial has been completed successfully on critically ill COVID-19 patients.
• It is also involved in the clinical trial of diagnostics and devices.
• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR):
  • It is India’s largest research and development organization and an autonomous body.
  • Its current Director-General is Shekhar C Mande.
  • It was established on September 26, 1942.
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Prime Minister is the President of CSIR.

(Source: PIB)

3. MSME Minister launched India’s first ever Khadi fabric Footwear.

• MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari has launched India’s first-ever Footwear made up of Khadi fabric like Silk, Cotton and Wool.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has designed this footwear.
• The Minister also launched online sale of Khadi footwear through KVIC’s e-portal.
• Minister of State for MSME, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, has said that the footwear is skin friendly and environment friendly.
• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
  • The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body established in 1956 by the Government of India.
  • Its headquarters is located in Mumbai.
  • Vinay Kumar Saxena is its current chairman.

4. India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue to be held on 27 October.

• India will host the third India-US 2+2 Dialogue on 27 October in New Delhi.
• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark T. Esper will lead the US delegation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will participate from the Indian side.
• The agenda for 3^rd dialogue is to discuss all bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
• India has developed such a dialogue mechanism with Japan also. India holds such talks with Australia at the secretarial level.
• India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue:
  • It is the highest level institutional mechanism between US and India in which the defense and foreign ministers from both countries meet.
  • The first 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held in September 2018 in New Delhi.
  • The second 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held in 2019 in Washington DC.

5. Punjab becomes first state to reject the three farms acts.

• Punjab Assembly has formally rejected the three Farm Acts of the Central government by passing the bills to negate these laws.
• With this, Punjab has become the first state to do so and Rajasthan is likely to become the second state to reject the farm laws.
• Punjab government has also rejected the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill.
• The three State Bills provide that sale-purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement done below the MSP shall invite imprisonment of not less than 3 years and fines.
• The bills also provide for the prevention of hoarding and black-marketing of agricultural produce.
• Code of Civil Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 was also passed. The bill inserts a provision for exemption of agriculture land not exceeding 2.5 acres from Section 60 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, which provides for attachment or decree of various properties - moveable and immoveable.
• The Union government passed the three farm acts under Entry 33 of the Concurrent list, which includes trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution of domestic and imported products of industry; foodstuffs, including oilseeds and oils; cattle fodder; raw cotton and jute.
• Article 254 (2) states that a State government can pass a law on any subject in the Concurrent list (that may contradict a Central Law) provided it gets President’s assent.

6. Indigenously built stealth corvette INS Kavaratti commissioned into Navy.

• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes INS Kavaratti has been commissioned into Indian Navy under Project 28 in Visakhapatnam.
• Project 28 or Kamorta class corvettes project was approved in 2003.
• It is indigenously designed by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
• It is the last in the series of four anti- Submarine Warfare Corvettes (ASWC) built by Kolkata-based GRSE under Project 28. The other three are INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt and INS Kiltan.
• It is one of the warships in the country to have the superstructure made of carbon fibre composite material.
• It has taken its name from INS Kavaratti, which was an Arnala class missile corvette.
• It is capable of neutralizing the enemy submarines with indigenous weapons like torpedoes and rocket launchers.
• Indigenously developed ASW will promote the self-reliant in the defence sector, as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• It has put Indian Navy in the elite club of the countries that have built stealth ships.
• Directorate of Naval Design: It is a premier Organisation of the Indian Navy, responsible for the design of submarines and submersibles in the country.

7. Union Cabinet approves various MoUs.

• An MoU has been approved by the Union Cabinet between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Certified Practising Accountants Papua New Guinea.
• It is signed for the capacity building and strengthening the Accounting, Financial and Audit Knowledge base between both countries.
• Cabinet has approved the Mutual Recognition Agreement between the ICAI and the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
• It will help qualified Chartered Accountant members of either Institute to join the other Institute by receiving appropriate credit for their existing accountancy qualification.
• Cabinet has also approved the MoU signed between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Space Research and Development Agency of Nigeria in August 2020.
• It was signed to promote cooperation in remote sensing of the earth, satellite communication, satellite navigation, space science and exploration of outer space.
• MoU Approved by the Cabinet:

8. Cabinet approves J&K Panchayati Raj Act and Productivity linked Bonus for non-gazetted central government employees.

• Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, has been approved by the cabinet to establish three tiers of Panchayati Raj in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Panchayat Raj is a system of local governance in which Gram Panchayats are the basic units of administration. It has three-tier government level, which includes Village, Block and District.
• Cabinet has also approved the productivity linked bonus and non-productivity linked bonus for the non-gazetted central government employees for 2019-2020. It will benefit more than 30 lakh employees. It will be given before Vijaydashmi in a single installment.
• Market Intervention Scheme for apple procurement in Jammu and Kashmir for the current season has been approved by the Union Cabinet. It will provide an effective marketing platform for apple growers.
• Under it, the procurement will be done by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation Limited directly from the apple farmers.
• The losses incurred in this scheme will be shared between the Central Government and Jammu and Kashmir government on 50:50 basis.   
• It will help in increasing the Overall income of apple farmers.
• National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd:
  • It was established on 2 October 1958.
  • It aims to promote Co-operative marketing of Agricultural Produce to benefit the farmers.
  • It is one of the largest procurement as well as marketing agencies for agricultural products in India.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

9. Commemoration event of 77^th Anniversary of the Formation of Azad Hind Government.

• The Union Culture and Tourism Minister has participated in the commemoration event of 77^th Anniversary of the Formation of Azad Hind Government at Red Fort in Delhi.
• Old veterans of Azad Hind Fauz and family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were also present in the event.
• Nation will celebrate the 125^th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in 2022.
• Azad Hind Fauj:
  • It was an army organization founded by Captain Mohan Singh with the help of Prisoner of wars in 1942.
  • It was formed by Indian nationalists in Southeast Asia during World War II to secure Indian independence from British rule.
  • It was revived under the leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose after his arrival in Southeast Asia in 1943.
  • It fought against the British and Commonwealth forces in Burma.
  • Subhash Chandra Bose had announced the formation of the ‘Azad Hind Government’ on 21 October 1943.

(Source: DD NEWS)

10. UP government will provide financial assistance to labourers for historical and religious tour.

• Under Swami Vivekananda Historical Tourism Scheme, the UP government will provide financial assistance of 12 thousand rupees to the labourers for the historical and religious trips.
• UP Government will also provide money to buy books for the study of the daughter of labourers under the Mahadevi Verma Book Purchase Financial Assistance Scheme.
• This will be given to the labourers working in factories whose daughters are pursuing higher education.
• It will also provide financial assistance to the labourers whose children are performing well in sports.
• Uttar Pradesh:
  • It is the most populous state in India and ranks 4^th in terms of area.
  • The Chief Minister of the state is Yogi Adityanath and Governor is Anandiben Patel.
  • Deputy CMs: Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya
  • The capital of the state is Lucknow.
  • The state animal of Uttar Pradesh is Swamp Deer, State Bird is Saras Crane, State Tree is Ashoka and State Flower is Brahma Kamal.
  • Uttar Pradesh has 80 seats in the Lok Sabha and 403 assembly seats.
  • Rajya Sabha- 31 seats