ART AND CULTURE

1. National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language                                           

2. National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language                                             

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE                                                                         

1. The Gandhian Challenge                                                                                  

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS                                                                      

1. Drone Innovators Network Summit 2019                                                           

ECONOMY                                                                                                               

1. Union Consumer Affairs Minister, launches ‘Consumer App’                             

2. CBDT launches documentation identification number                                       

3. ‘Developing Asia’ is urbanising faster than rest of the world                              

4. WTO cuts global trade growth forecasts for 2019 to 1.2% amid slowdown     

DISASTER MANAGEMENT                                                                          

1. National Crisis Management Committee(NCMC)                                             

MISCELLANEOUS                                                                                              

1. President of India will Confer “Vayoshreshtha Samman – 2019”                     

ART AND CULTURE

National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language

GS PAPER - 01 ART AND CULTURE - Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Context :

• Union Minister for Human Resource Development has chaired a meeting of the National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language.

National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language:

• The National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language(NCPSL) was established as an autonomous registered body under Ministry of Human Resource Development(HRD).

• It is registered under the Societies Registration Act in 1860 in 1994.

• The headquarters of the council is in New Delhi.

• The chairman of the council is the Union minister of HRD.

Objective :

• To work on knowledge of scientific and technological advances in Sindhi language as well as knowledge of ideas developed in modern terms.

• To promote develop and propagate Sindhi Language.

• To advise the Government of India on issues connected with Sindhi Language and having a bearing on education as may be referred to it.

• To undertake any activity for the promotion of Sindhi Language as may be deemed fit by the council.

                                                                                                                                                              Source :- PIB

National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language

GS PAPER - 01 ART AND CULTURE - Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Context :

• Union Minister for Human Resource Development has chaired a meeting of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language.

National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language:

• The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).

• It was set up in 1996 to promote, develop and propagate the Urdu language.

• The chairman of the council is the Union minister of HRD.

Objective :

• To promote, develop and propagate Urdu language.

• To take action for making available in Urdu language the knowledge of scientific and technological development as well as knowledge of ideas evolved in the modern context.

• To advise the Government of India on issues connected with Urdu language and having bearing on education as may be referred to it.

• To undertake other projects for the promotion of Urdu language as may be deemed fit by the Council.

                                                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

The Gandhian Challenge

GS PAPER - 02 POLITY - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

• On the 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, AIM, NITI Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and UNICEF India, including Generation Unlimited, have launched ‘The Gandhian Challenge’.

The Gandhian Challenge :

• This innovation challenge provides a platform for every child across India to ideate innovative solutions for a sustainable India of their dreams, using Gandhi’s principles.

• The aim  is to support them to thrive as young innovators and entrepreneurs

• The problem statement for the Gandhian Challenge is: “Share your innovative solutions/ideas to create a futuristic and sustainable world of your dreams, following Gandhi's principles.”

• Ideas and solutions to the Gandhian Challenge may be expressed through broad categories: Art & Innovation (Letters, poems, painting, videos and photos, among others) and Science, Technology & Innovation (Robotics, IoT, sensors and 3D printers, among others).

• The winners of The Gandhian Challenge will be awarded in New Delhi by NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission and UNICEF on the occasion of Children’s Day in November.

Significance :

• Through this partnership, AIM and UNICEF recognize every child’s ability and right to voice their dreams for a world of their choice, following Gandhi's principles.   

                                                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Drone Innovators Network Summit 2019

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Context :

• The Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 is being held in New Delhi.

  • It is organised by the World Economic Forum under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Drones Innovators Network:

• Drone Innovators Network(DIN) was formed in 2018 at the World Economic Forum in Davos,Switzerland.

• It is a community of progressive governments, supported by industry and other key stakeholders who are accelerating the adoption of drones with progressive regulatory approaches.

• The Drone Innovators Network held its inaugural summit in Zurich, Switzerland.

Drone regulations in India:

• Drones or unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) are unmanned aircraft piloted from a remote pilot station.

• In 2018,the Director General of Civil Aviation has announced the policy delineating what classifies as remotely piloted aircraft.It also outlined how they can be flown and the restrictions they will operate under.

• It stated that drones can be operated by someone who is over 18 years of age.He/she should have cleared the Class X examination in English and should have undergone DGCA ground and practical training.

• The DGCA has clarified that no remote pilot can operate more than one drone at any time.

• Drones cannot be flown within 5 km of the perimeters of airports in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad and within 3 km from the perimeter of any other airport.

                                                                                                                               Source :- PIB

ECONOMY

Union Consumer Affairs Minister, launches ‘Consumer App’

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan launched the ‘Consumer App’.

Consumer App :

• The app aims to provide a one stop solution for consumer grievance redressal at the palm of every consumer across the nation via mobile phones.

• The Consumer App is loaded with various consumer centric features which will benefit both Consumers and the Government.

• Consumers can sign-up with an OTP (one time password) and create an user ID and password to use the app.

• Consumers will now be able to lodge complaints / Grievances directly through this app which then will be taken up with companies for quick redressal.

  • Feature to track the lodged grievances is also built in this app. 

  • Various important links that will be useful to the consumers are also available in the app.

• Consumers can use this app in Hindi and English on both Android and IoS platforms.

Working :

• The registered consumer will be informed about their complaint via SMS/E-mail with a unique number which can be tracked by the consumer.

• The complaint status will be monitored on a daily basis by the ministry and on a weekly basis by him personally.

•  There will be time bound resolution of all grievances and those that are simple in nature will be resolved within 20 days while those that elicit a feedback from companies or further enquiries will be resolved within 2 months/60 days.

  • if after 60 days the grievance is not resolved, the consumer will be advised to proceed to consumer fora.

• Also, now the consumer will be informed before closure of a complaint and if the consumer is not satisfied then the complaint will be referred further to the concerned department.

                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

CBDT launches documentation identification number

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• The Document Identification Number(DIN) system of Central Board of Direct Taxes(CBDT) has come into existence.

Document Identification Number(DIN):

• Document identification number(DIN) is the new system of identification number that Income tax department has introduced for the taxpayers.

• Every communication to be issued by the Income-Tax Department will now have a Document Identification Number,This intends to insure proper audit trail of such communication.

• Any communication that does not include the Document identification number(DIN) will be considered invalid according to section 282b of the Income Tax Act.

• CBDT has also mentioned five specific circumstances under which communication can be issued manually which includes

  • technical difficulty in issuance of DIN

  • unavailability of concerned official in the office

  • delay in PAN migration

  • unavailability of PAN and

  • functionality to issue communication in the system.

• However,communication issued manually will be permitted only after recording reasons in writing and with the prior written approval of the Chief Commissioner or Director General of Income-Tax concerned.

                                                                                                                                                     Source :- PIB ; Livemint

‘Developing Asia’ is urbanising faster than rest of the world

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY  - growth, development and employment.

Context :

• Asian Development Bank(ADB) has released the updated economic outlook report.

  • The report has used the data from the World Urbanization Prospects report that is released by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.

Key Highlights :

• The report has found that between 1970 to 2017, the urban population in developing Asia grew from 375 million to 1.84 billion.

• The global increase in urban population led by this region accounted for approximately 53%.

• The two thirds of the nearly 1.5.billion additional city dwellers in Developing Asia belong to India and China.

• Further,the report has said that the Developing Asia urbanised faster than the rest of the world not only in terms of absolute growth but also in terms of growth rate.

• The urban population in this region increased at an average 3.4% per annum from 1970 to 2017.

• This was much faster than the 2.6% in the rest of the developing world and 1.0% in the developed world.

                                                                                                                        Source :- Indian Express

WTO cuts global trade growth forecasts for 2019 to 1.2% amid slowdown

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Effects of liberalization on the economy

 Context :

• The WTO sharply cut global trade growth forecasts for 2019 to 1.2 per cent from the earlier 2.6 per cent

Key Highlights :

• The trade forecasts has been reduced due to

  • downgrades on slower growth in major economies

  • trade wars and

  • ongoing uncertainty over Brexit.

• It has also said that the job creation may also be affected as firms employ fewer workers to produce goods and services for export.

• However,the WTO has also said that it expects growth in trade volumes to accelerate to 2.7% in 2020 but cautioned that any pick-up depends on a return to normal trade relations.

                                                                                                               Source :- Business Standard

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

National Crisis Management Committee(NCMC)

GS PAPER - 03 DISASTER MANAGEMENT - Disaster and disaster management.

Context :

• Cabinet Secretary has chaired a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee to review the prevailing flood situation in Bihar.

National Crisis Management Committee :

• Government of India had set up a Standing National Crisis Management Committee for effective implementation of relief measures in the wake of natural calamities.

• The committee is headed by Cabinet Secretary.

• It also includes Secretaries of Ministries / Departments and agencies with specific Disaster management responsibilities.

• The key functions of the committee include

  • oversee the Command, Control and Coordination of the disaster response and

  • give direction to the Crisis Management Group(CMG) as deemed necessary.

                                                                                                                               Source :- PIB

MISCELLANEOUS

President of India will Confer “Vayoshreshtha Samman – 2019”   

GS PAPER - 03 AWARD AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Context :

• President of India will confer the Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019 on the eminent senior citizens and institutions to mark International Day of Older Persons.

Vayoshreshtha Samman-2019:

• Vayoshrestha Sammans are conferred every year in 13 categories to eminent senior citizens and Institutions in recognition for their service to elderly persons.

• The objective of the award is to showcase the Government’s concern for senior citizens and its commitment towards senior citizens with the aim of strengthening their legitimate place in society.

• The series of awards were instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in the year 2005 and were elevated to the level of national awards in 2013.

• The recipients of the Sammans are conferred on the 1st October on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons(IDOP).

                                                                                                                         Source :- PIB

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------