POLITY AND GOVERNANCE                                                             

1. Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP)                     

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS                                                          

1. 18th NAM Summit                                                                            

2. Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between India and USA                                                                                          

3. Enthronement Ceremony of Emperor Naruhito                                  

ECONOMY                                                                                             

1. CCEA approves Review of Guidelines for Granting Authorization to market Transportation Fuels                                                             

2. Col Chewang Rinchen Setu                                                              

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY                                                      

1. Call of the wild: India plans first-ever snow leopard survey                  

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                                                          

1. Massive galaxy found hidden amid cosmic dust                                 

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP)

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

Context :

• Union Health Ministry has released guidelines for establishing peritoneal dialysis services under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program(PMNDP).

 More about the guidelines :

• The Union ministry of health and family welfare has set guidelines under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP), asking states to include the services to implement the program.

• If the proposal is implemented by the states, patients can avail of dialysis, along with several other services, at home.

• The guidelines will serve as a comprehensive manual for best practice for states intending to set up peritoneal dialysis centers.

• This will ensure the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective services and develop a clinically-safe and effective program.

Implications :

• The move will benefit about 200,000 people who develop end-stage kidney failure every year in India.

• They now have another treatment option that allows them to do dialysis at home with potential flexibility in lifestyle.

• Mass-based peritoneal dialysis programs also have the potential to substantially bring down the cost of treatment.

• Peritoneal dialysis does away with the substantial costs of infrastructure, maintenance and staffing reduces the demand on the healthcare system and offers patient autonomy.

• The guidelines also address problems faced by pediatric patients.

18th NAM Summit

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• Vice President will lead the Indian delegation to the 18th NAM Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.

18Th NAM Summit :

• The 18th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan in October 2019.

• The theme for the 18th NAM Summit: “Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted and adequate response to the challenges of contemporary world”.

• The Ten Principles of Bandung, a political statement encapsulating the need to promote world peace and cooperation were formulated at the Asian-African Conference in 1955.

• The theme is significant as it relates to the forthcoming 65th anniversary of the Bandung Principles in 2020 and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the NAM in 2021.

• India is one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which was established in 1961 with 29 members. It has since grown to 120 members to become one of the largest groupings of nation-states.

• The Summit will focus on a whole gamut of contemporary issues such as terrorism, threats to peace and security, UN reform, climate change, sustainable development, economic governance and south-south cooperation.

• At the NAM Baku Summit, the Republic of Azerbaijan will take over the chairmanship of the NAM for the upcoming 3 years.

• The first NAM Summit was held in 1961 at Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

• The previous summit in 2016 was held in the Island of Margarita in Venezuela.

                                                                                                                                                               Source :- PIB

Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between India and USA

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• The Union Cabinet approved proposal for agreement on science and technology cooperation between India and the United States of America.

More in the news:

• The Agreement is expected to provide an opportunity to promote ‘high quality’ and ‘high impact’ research and innovation partnerships as well as broadening and expanding relationships between the extensive scientific and technological communities.

• The cooperation between both countries would include:

  • Exchanges of scientific and technical information and experts.

  • Convening of seminars and meetings.

  • Training of scientists and technical experts.

  • Conduct of cooperative research projects.

  • Establishment of science and innovation-based public-private partnerships.

  • Use of advance research facilities.

                                                                                                                                                              Source :- PIB

Enthronement Ceremony of Emperor Naruhito

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• The  President Ram Nath Kovind arrived to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito.

More in the news:

• The President visited the Tsukiji Hongwanji Buddhist Temple and planted a sapling from Bodh Gaya.

• He also visited the Shinto Meiji Shrine and interacted with a delegation from the Gotemba Pagoda.

• The Shrine is dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji . The Meiji restoration in 1868 was a watershed moment in Japanese history in which Japan was completely transformed into a modern country.

• The Peace Park in Gotemba City provides a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji (the highest mountain in Japan) and houses the chalky stupa. The stupa, the symbol of the park, keeps the Buddha’s ashes presented by late Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

• He addressed the members of Indian diaspora in Tokyo and sought their support for creating a progressive and prosperous India.

• He also laid the foundation stone for Sri Sathya Sai Sanathana Samskruti Project at Sai no Sato, Kakegawa, Japan.

• Sai no Sato will be developed as a temple on the lines of Akshardham and Swaminarayan Temple to promote Indian traditional culture.

                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

ECONOMY

CCEA approves Review of Guidelines for Granting Authorization to market Transportation Fuels

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

Context :

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the review of guidelines for granting authorization to market transportation fuels.

  • This marks a major reform of the guidelines for marketing of petrol and diesel.

More in the news:

• The current policy guidelines had not undergone any change since 2002.

• It has now been revised to bring it in line with the changing market dynamics and with a view to encouraging investment from private players, including foreign players, in this sector.

• The new guidelines are expected to give a fillip to ‘Ease of Doing Business’.

• It will also boost employment in this sector.

Salient features and Impact :

• Entry barrier for private players is decreased.

• Non-oil companies can also invest in this sector now. Earlier, there was a requirement of prior investment in the oil and gas sector, mainly in exploration and production, refining, pipelines/terminals, etc.

• The entities seeking market authorisation for petrol and diesel are allowed to apply for retail and bulk authorisation separately or both.

• Companies have been given flexibility in setting up a joint venture or subsidiary for market authorisation.

• In addition to conventional fuels, the authorized entities are required to install facilities for marketing at least one new generation alternate fuel, like CNG, LNG, biofuels, electric charging, etc. at their proposed retail outlets within 3 years of operationalization of the said outlet.

• Entities will also encourage the employment of women and ex-servicemen at the retail outlets.

• CCTV facilities will be set up at all retail outlets.

• The authorised entities are required to set up minimum 5% of the total retail outlets in the notified remote areas within 5 years of grant of authorisation. A robust monitoring mechanism has been set up to monitor this obligation.

• An individual may be allowed to obtain dealership of more than one marketing company in case of open dealerships of PSU oil marketing companies but at different sites.

                                                                                                                                                                    Source :- PIB

Col Chewang Rinchen Setu

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Context :

• Defence Minister has inaugurated a bridge named Colonel Chewang Rinchen bridge.

Colonel Chewang Rinchen bridge :

• It  is India's highest altitude all-weather permanent bridge, located in eastern Ladakh at nearly 45 km east of Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

  • It stands at 14,650 feet across the Shyok river.

• The bridge has been named after Col Chewang Rinchen.

• The bridge was constructed by the Border Road Organisation (BRO) within a period of just 15 months.

• The bridge will be a boost to road connectivity.

• It will connect Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldie in Eastern Ladakh.

                                                                                                           Source :- Business Standard

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Call of the wild: India plans first-ever snow leopard survey

GS PAPER - 03 ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY - Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context :

• The Government of India has launched the First National Protocol on Snow Leopard Population Assessment, to mark the occasion of International Snow Leopard Day (23rd October).

More in the news:

• The first National Snow Leopard Survey of the nation has been developed by scientific experts in association with the Snow Leopard States/UTs namely, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
   

  • The use of technology such as camera traps and scientific surveys will help to estimate the numbers.

• The occasion also marked the inaugural session of the 4th steering committee meeting of the Global Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Program.
             

                                                                                                                              Source :- The Hindu

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Massive galaxy found hidden amid cosmic dust

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the field of space.

Context :

• Astronomers have found a massive galaxy, dating back to the early universe, lurking in cosmic dust clouds.

Key findings :

• The researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, or ALMA — a collection of 66 radio telescopes located in the high mountains of Chile.

• The galaxy is a massive monster galaxy, with as many stars as the Milky Way.

• However, it is found that the newly discovered galaxy is brimming with activity and forming new stars at 100 times the rate of the Milkyway galaxy.

Significance :

• The discovery provides new insights into the first steps of some of the biggest galaxies in the universe.

• The advancement may open the doors for discovering a new galaxy population type.

• The researchers estimate that the signal took 12.5 billion years to reach Earth, which gives them a glimpse into the Universe in its infancy.

                                                                                                                   Source :- The Hindu

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