Daily Current Affairs and GK | 8 September 2021

Topic: Science and Technology

1. India’s first building made of bio-bricks opened at IIT-Hyderabad.

• India’s first building made of agro-waste bio-bricks has been inaugurated at IIT-Hyderabad. It is a perfect example of ‘Wealth from Waste’. These bio-bricks have been made of agricultural waste.
• IIT-Hyderabad demonstrated that agricultural waste can be converted into sustainable materials, which can be used to build eco-friendly, cost-effective structures.
• This technology has been developed by research scholar Priyabrata Rautray under the supervision of Professor Deepak John Mathew.
• It will increase the income of farmers because their agricultural waste will become a source of revenue.
• The bio-brick technology will reduce the burning of agro-waste after harvest, which is a major cause of air pollution.
• The bio-brick has excellent thermal insulation and fire-retardant properties. It will keep the temperature inside the house 5 – 6 degrees less than usual.

Topic: National News

2. Food Processing Week: 6-12 September

• Ministry of Food Processing Industries is organizing Food Processing Week from 6^th to 12^th September 2021 as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration.
• Under this Food Processing Week, various programs will be organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• A webinar on Tomato Processing and Value Addition was also organized by the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology at Damoh.
• In this sequence, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, inaugurated the Food Processing Unit at Food Park Maneri in Madhya Pradesh.
• He said that the Food Processing Unit will provide processing opportunities to farmers, self-help groups, and micro-entrepreneurs and create employment opportunities in the region.

Topic: International News

3. Caretaker government announced by Taliban in Afghanistan.

• Caretaker government has been announced by Taliban in Afghanistan.
• Mullah Hasan Akhund will head interim cabinet as acting Prime Minister. Akhund belongs to Kandahar.
• Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will serve as one of the two deputy Prime Ministers in the interim government. Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi will be the other deputy Prime Minister.
• Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada will be the Supreme leader of the government. Sirajuddin Haqqani will get the portfolio of Interior Minister.

Topic: Art and Culture

4. 'Bujurgon ki Baat–Desh Ke Saath’ programme launched by Union Minister of Culture Shri Kishan Reddy Gangapuram.

• 'Bujurgon ki Baat–Desh Ke Saath’ programme launched by Union Minister of Culture Shri Kishan Reddy Gangapuram.
• The programme aims at enhancing the interaction between the youth and the elder persons who are 95 years and above.
• The Minister also launched the book “Gita Govinda: Jaydeva’s Divine Odyssey” by Dr.Utpal K. Banerjee and also an exhibition on “Gita Govinda”.
• The exhibition showcases collection of paintings on the theme of Krishna from various schools of art including Amber, Kangra among other. Gita Govinda was originally written by 12th century poet Jaydeva.
• Union Minister of State (MoS) for Culture Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said that energy of youth and experience of elders can take the country ahead and make it stronger by 2047.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/Taskforces

5. Government constituted a task force & expert committee for coal-based hydrogen production.

• The Ministry of Coal has formed a Task Force and Expert Committee to prepare a road map for Coal-based Hydrogen Production. The Task Force will be headed by Additional Secretary.
•  The government had announced the Hydrogen Mission on this year’s Independence Day.
• The Expert Committee will be headed by the Director General of the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry, R.K. Malhotra.
• The expert committee will review the progress in hydrogen technology and also review ongoing research projects in Hydrogen technology.
• The committee will help in implementing the road map for coal-based Hydrogen production. It will also look after the economic viability and environmental sustainability issues related to coal based Hydrogen production.
• The expert committee will submit its report within three months.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

6. Gujarat Government signed MoU with Amazon India to boost export of MSME sector.

• Gujarat Government and Amazon India signed an MoU to boost the export of MSME sector.
• The MoU has been signed between MSME Commissioner of Department of Industries and Mines in Gujarat Government Ranjit Kumar and Global Trade Head of Amazon India, Kamra.
• It will help MSMEs of Gujarat in expanding their reach to the global market. It will help in achieving the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Under this MoU, training sessions, webinars and workshops will be organized in cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Bharuch, and Rajkot.
• The MoU will increase the capacity of MSME units of Gujarat. It will establish linkage between Indian market and countries like the USA, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, UK, Australia, etc.
• Now, products like textiles, gems and jewelry, handicraft, healthcare, and herbal can be exported through e-commerce by Amazon India.
• More than 345,000 MSMEs are present in Gujarat. It plays a vital role in the economic and social development of the state.

Topic: Defence

7. Defence Minister approves delegation of financial powers to armed forces for Revenue Procurement.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the delegation of financial powers to the armed forces for revenue procurement.
• The main objective of the delegation of financial powers is to empower field formations; focus on operational preparedness; promote ease of doing business and enhance jointness among the Services.
• The enhanced delegated financial power will empower Field Commanders and below to procure equipment/war-like stores speedily. It will bring greater decentralization and operational efficiency in the armed forces.
• The financial power of Vice Chiefs has been increased by 10 percent, subject to an overall ceiling of Rs 500 crore.
• The financial power of the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) has been also increased.
• The Last such enhancement at all levels for the Defence Services was done in 2016.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

8. International Literacy Day: 8 September

• International Literacy Day is observed every year on 8 September.
• It is observed to highlight the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies.
• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted 8th September as International Literacy Day in 1966. The first International Literacy Day was celebrated in 1967.
• The theme of International Literacy Day 2021 is ‘Literacy for a Human-centered Recovery: Narrowing the Digital Divide.’
• Finland is the most literate country in the world. Norway and Iceland are in the second and third positions respectively.
• India's literacy rate is at 75% and Kerala is the most literate state in India.

Topic: International News

9. First India–Japan High Level Policy Dialogue held on 7^th September.

• First India–Japan High Level Policy Dialogue was organized on 7^th September 2021.
• It was held between Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, and Mr. KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment of Japan.
• Both leaders discussed the issues related to Air Pollution, Sustainable Technologies, Transports, Climate Change, Marine Litter, Fluorocarbons, etc.
• Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, appreciated the efforts of Japan in bringing new technologies to India.
• India and Japan agreed to enhance cooperation on economy and resource efficiency, low carbon technology, green hydrogen, etc.
• Bhupender Yadav also requested Japan to join the Leadership Group for Industry Transition, a global initiative spearheaded by India and Sweden.
• Both countries can strengthen bilateral cooperation through the Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM) and Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure (CDRI).

Topic: Miscellaneous

10. Rani Rampal and Smriti Mandhana appointed as brand ambassadors of Equitas Small Finance Bank.

• Equitas Small Finance Bank has appointed women hockey player, Rani Rampal, and cricketer Smriti Mandhana as brand ambassadors.
• Equitas Small Finance Bank made this announcement at their 5^th celebration on 05 September 2021.
• Zydus Wellness appointed Katrina Kaif as brand ambassador for its low -calorie sweetener brand 'Sugar Free'.
• Actor Suniel Shetty has been named as the brand ambassador for the Maharashtra Delphic Council for Performing Arts.
• Lovlina Borgohain has been named brand ambassador of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Assam.
• Real11 appointed Gautam Gambhir as its brand ambassador.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

11. All India Institute of Ayurveda signs MoU with Western Sydney University Australia to appoint an Academic Chair in Ayurveda.

• All India Institute of Ayurveda has signed MoU with Western Sydney University Australia to appoint an Academic Chair in Ayurveda.
• Professor Tanuja Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda and Vice-Chancellor and President, Western Sydney University, Australia signed the MoU.
• The Ayurveda Academic Chair will be established at Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute with tenure for a period of three years.
• Ministry of Ayush and Western Sydney University are jointly funding the appointment of the chair. It is anticipated to commence early in 2022.
• The Academic Chair will carry out academic and collaborative research activities in Ayurveda. It will also carry out workshops, seminars and conferences on Ayurveda.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

12. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change inaugurates first functional smog tower in India.

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the first functional smog tower in India at Anand Vihar, Delhi.
• The Minister inaugurated the smog tower on the occasion of second International Day of Clean Air For Blue Skies.
• It has a height of over 20m. It is of downdraft type. In the downdraft type, polluted air comes in from the top of the tower and clean air comes out of the bottom.
• The filtration system used in the tower has been designed by the University of Minnesota. It has an expected efficiency of 90%.
• The tower has been constructed by Tata Projects Limited with NBCC (India) Ltd. as the project management consultant.
• A smog tower is a structure designed as a large/medium scale air purifiers to reduce air pollution, usually by forcing the air through filters.
• On the occasion, a portal named “PRANA” (Portal for Regulation of Air-pollution in Non-Attainment cities) was also launched under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• The portal will support tracking of physical as well as the financial status of city air action plan implementation. It will disseminate information on air quality to the public. 

(Source: PIB)

Topic: State News/Delhi

13. 'Business Blasters' programme launched by Delhi government in all its schools.

• 'Business Blasters' programme has been launched by Delhi government in all its schools.
• The programme aims at developing young entrepreneurs at the school-level by providing students seed money to start a business.
• The programme will be implemented in all Delhi government schools under "Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum (EMC)".
• Under the programme, class 11 and 12 students will be provided seed money of Rs 2,000 to start a business.
• Delhi's education minister Manish Sisodia said that programme is going to be the basis of the country's progress. He said that it will also help address the problem of unemployment.
• The ‘Business Blasters' programme was started at the School of Excellence Khichripur under a pilot project.