Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 September 2020

1. NHIDCL speeded up DPR work on World’s Longest High-Altitude Shinkun La tunnel.

• National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has speeded up the Detailed Project Report work on the World’s Longest High-Altitude Shinkun La Tunnel.
• Shikun La Tunnel:
  • It is a 13.5 km long tunnel under the Shingo La Pass.
  • It will pave the way for all-weather road connectivity between Manali and Nimu via Shingo La and Padum.
  • The tunnel will provide connectivity between Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in Zanskar valley.
  • After the construction of this tunnel, the Manali-Kargil highway will remain operational throughout the year.
• National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL):
  • It is a government-owned company under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
  • It promotes, surveys, establishes, maintains and upgrades National Highways and strategic roads in India.
  • Managing Director: Keshav Kumar Pathak
  • Headquarters: New Delhi

(Source: NHIDCL)

2. National Service Scheme Day: 24 September

• National Service Scheme was formally launched on 24 September 1969, the birth centenary year of Gandhiji.
• Therefore, 24 September is celebrated every year as an NSS day.
• NSS is a central sector scheme under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
• Aim of NSS- Develop student’s personality through community service.
• The motto of NSS is “NOT ME BUT YOU”.
• The logo of NSS is based on the Rath Wheel of Konark Sun Temple (The Black Pagoda), Odisha.

(Source: NSS)

3. President Ram Nath Kovind has given NSS Awards for 2018-19.

• President will give NSS award for 2018-19 to 42 awardees in 3 different categories.
• This NSS award is given by the Department of Youth Affairs in the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
• It is given for the voluntary community service made by the Universities or Colleges, Councils, Senior Secondary, NSS Units or Programme Officers and NSS Volunteers.

4. A Big success for DRDO as it successfully test-fires laser-guided anti-tank guided missile.

• DRDO has successfully test-fired a Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from MBT Arjun Tank at KK Ranges.
• Laser guided missile will increase the accuracy to hit the target.
• The three labs involved in the development of ATGM are :
  • Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE)
  • High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL)
  • Instruments Research & Development Establishment

• Anti-tank guided missile use different types of guidance systems which include laser, TV cameras and wire guiding.

• It will enhance the fire-power capability of the Indian Army particularly along the frontiers with Pakistan and China.
• DRDO
  • It is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defense.
  • It was formed in 1958.
  • Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
  • The main function of DRDO is to develop defense technologies.

(Source: The Hindu)

5. World Rhino Day: 22 September.

• Every year 22 September is celebrated as World Rhino Day.
• It was first announced by WWF-South Africa in 2010.
• Kevin Pietersen a famous cricketer has collaborated with National Geographic for a document Web series “Save This Rhino: India” for creating awareness to protect One-horned Rhinos in India.
• One-horned Rhinos is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• India and Rhinos:
  • Assam is home to the largest population of greater-one horned rhinos.
  • Kaziranga National Park in Assam is famous for one-horned Rhinos.
  • India Rhino Vision 2020 is launched by Assam government in partnership with International Rhino Foundation, and the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Bodoland Territorial Council, and the U.S. Fish & World Wildlife foundation.
  • It aims to attain 3000 population of one-horned Rhino in Assam by 2020.
  • Ministry of Forest and Climate Change has also begun a project to create DNA profile of all Rhinos in India.

6. World Maritime Day: 24 September

• The celebration of World Maritime Day 2020 will be held at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London.
• The first World Maritime Day was held on 17 March 1978 to mark the day when the IMO Convention came into force in 1958.
• Theme 2020: “Sustainable shipping for a sustainable planet”
• The theme provides an opportunity for world leaders from shipping and other sectors to reflect on the work done so far and the urgent steps needed for a sustainable future.
• More than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.
• SDG-14: Life Below Water

(Source: IMO)

7. Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi died from COVID-19.

• Suresh Angadi, Minister of State for Railways, passed away on 23 September from COVID-19 at AIIMS Trauma Centre.
• He was a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Karnataka.
• He was a Member of Parliament from Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency.
• In May 2019, he was appointed as Minister of State for Railways.
• Union Council of Ministers consists of the following ministers:
  • Cabinet Minister: They are members of the cabinet and are the most important ministers of the Union Council of Ministers.
  • Deputy Minister: They are ministers who work under Cabinet Minister or Minister of State with independent charge.
  • Minister of State with independent charge: They are in-charge of smaller ministries and participate in the Cabinet meetings only when specially invited.
  • Minister of State: They are attached to any Ministry to assist Cabinet Ministers.

(Source: News on AIR)

8. Passage Exercise (PASSEX) is being held between Indian Navy and Royal Australian in Eastern Indian Ocean.

• PASSEX is being conducted between the Indian Navy and the Australian Navy.
• Air Warfare Destroyer HMAS Hobart, Stealth Frigate INS Sahyadri and Missile Corvette INS Karmuk are engaged in this Naval Exercise.
• Recent Passing Exercise of India in the Indian ocean:
  • India - Japan Naval Exercise
  • India Navy - US Navy carrier strike group Military Exercise
  • Indian and France Naval Exercise

9. United Nations and Britain will co-host global Climate summit.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host a global climate summit on the eve of the fifth anniversary of Paris Agreement.
• National Government will be invited with their ambitious and high-quality climate plans.
• This summit is organized after an announcement that china would peak greenhouse emissions in 2030 and attempt to go carbon neutral by 2060.
• Summit will increase momentum ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) to be held in Glasgow in November 2021.
• China is the world’s largest Greenhouse gas emitter and it is followed by USA.
• Greenhouse Gases:
  • It is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, which causes the greenhouse effect.
  • Primary greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
  • The increasing concentration of Greenhouse gases will increase the Earth’s atmosphere temperature, which can lead to a catastrophic effect on the environment.
• Conference of Parties (COP) is the apex decision-making body of the United Nations Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC).

(Source: DD News)

10. GSMA postpones Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2021.

• GSMA has changed the date of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2021 from early March to 28 June.
• The MWC 2021 will now be held from 28 June 28 to 1 July in Barcelona, Spain. The theme for MWC 2021 is connected impact.
• The annual event will be held physically. But the number of attendees will be decreased.
• GSMA has also changed the date of the Chinese edition of MWC (MWC Shanghai) to 23-25 February.
• GSMA (GSM Association) has 750 operators and 400 companies as its members. GSM refers to Global System for Mobile Communications, a standard by European Telecommunications Standards Institute for 2G mobile networks.
• Mobile World Congress (MWC) is the mobile industry’s largest exhibition and conference.  It is now known as MWC Barcelona.  GSMA will keep MWC in Barcelona until 2024. 

11. Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020, passed by Lok Sabha.

• Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020, has been passed by Lok Sabha to replace Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.
• The bill has provisions for the creation of a Board of Major Port Authority for each major port to replace existing Port Trusts.
• Board of Major Port Authority will have a Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson. It will have a member of the state government.
• One member of the Board of Major Port Authority will be from each Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Defence and Customs Department.  
• The bill provides more autonomy to major ports of India, increases transparency in functioning and helps them in developing world-class infrastructure.
• The bill’s provisions will not have an effect on the pension of the retired employees of major ports.
• Major ports in India:
  • There are a total of 13 major seaports in India, 12 of which are government and one is Ennore Port of Chennai is corporate.
  • The other 12 major ports of India are as follows: Kolkata Port, Paradip Port, New Mangalore Port, Cochin Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai Port, Kandla Port, Visakhapatnam Port, Chennai Port, Tuticorin Port, Mormugao Port and Port Blair Port.