POLITY AND GOVERNANCE                                                             

1. National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR)                                            

2. Swachh Survekshan Gramin Awards 2019                                        

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS                                                          

1. MoU between India and Comoros                                                     

ECONOMY                                                                                             

1. Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019                                              

2. Cabinet approves the Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019                   

3. Cabinet approves strategic disinvestment of CPSEs.                         

4. Industrial Corridors                                                                           

5. India's oil demand to rise 3.21% in 2019                                          

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY                                                    

1. Satellites to Assess Pollution Status                                                

2. Govt. approves proposal to enact legislation for recycling of ships    

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                                                        

1. Three cases of bubonic plague in China                                          

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR)

GS PAPER - 02 GOVERNANCE - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• Cabinet approves establishment of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) at Leh.

National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) :

• The setting up of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa would provide an impetus for the revival of Sowa-Rigpa in the Indian subcontinent.

Objective :

• The objective is to establish the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) as an apex Institute for Sowa-Rigpa with aim of bringing a valid and useful synergy between Traditional Wisdom of Sowa-Rigpa and modern science, tools and technology. 

• It will help to promote interdisciplinary research & education of Sowa-Rigpa.

• The Institute will also provide opportunities for students of Sowa-Rigpa not only in India but also from other countries.

• The Institute will be an autonomous National Institute under the Ministry of AYUSH with the mandate to undertake interdisciplinary education and research programmes in Sowa-Rigpa in collaboration with premier national and international institutes and facilitate the integration of different systems of medicine.

• This will facilitate quality education, scientific validation, quality control & standardization and safety evaluation of Sowa-Rigpa products; standardized Sowa-Rigpa based tertiary health delivery and the promotion of interdisciplinary research & education of Sowa-Rigpa at undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral levels.

• NISR would identify the best Sowa-Rigpa treatment – including their standard procedures-within the framework of traditional Sowa-Rigpa principles and possible co-relation with bio-molecular western medicine in providing health care facilities to the general public.           

                                                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

Swachh Survekshan Gramin Awards 2019

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

Context :

• Union Minister of State of the Ministry of Jal Shakticonferred the Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2019 awards to top ranked states, union territories, and districts.

  • It marked the occasion of World Toilet Day, which is observed every year on November 19.

Background :

• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti had commissioned Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2019 (SSG 2019) through an independent survey agency.

• It aimed to develop rankings of all districts of India on the basis of quantitative and qualitative sanitation (Swachhta) parameters.

Ranking :

• Top 3 States–

  • Tamil Nadu,

  • Haryana,

  • Gujarat

• Top 3 Districts–

  • Peddapalli (Telangana),

  • Faridabad (Haryana),

  • Rewari (Haryana)

• State with Maximum Citizen Participation– Uttar Pradesh

• Corporates Felicitated: Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA), Hindustan Unilever Limited and AMUL for their contribution under the Swachhta Hi Seva campaign-2019 towards effective plastic waste management.

                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

MoU between India and Comoros

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

Context :

• Cabinet approves ex post facto the proposal for the MoU between India and Comoros on cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.

Background :

• The MoU was signed between both countries in October 2019 during the Indian Vice President’s visit to the island nation of Comoros.

More in the news :

Memorandum of Understanding covers the following areas of cooperation:-

• Training and Capacity Building

• Exchanges of experiences

• Institutional strengthening of Hospitals; Hospital management

• Medical care in Oncology and Palliative care;

• Communicable and Non-communicable Diseases;

• Acquisition of pharmaceutical products, materials and biomedical products

• Support for the opening of three units of blood transfusion

• Support for the opening of a public health laboratory

• Support for the implementation of telemedicine

• Promotion of private investments in the field of health

• Any other area of cooperation as may be mutually decided upon

                                                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

ECONOMY

Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019

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

Context :

• Union Cabinet approves Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in order to replace the Ordinance.

Key features of the amendments made by the Ordinance:

• In order to promote growth and investment, a new provision was inserted in the IT Act to provide that with effect from the current financial year 2019-20, an existing domestic company may opt to pay tax at 22% plus surcharge at 10% and cess at 4%, if it does not claim any incentive/deduction. The effective tax rate for these companies comes to 25.17%. They would also not be subjected to Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).

• In order to attract fresh investment in manufacturing and provide a boost to ‘Make in India’, another provision was inserted to the IT Act, to provide that a domestic manufacturing company set up on or after 1st October, 2019 and which commences manufacturing by 31st March, 2023, may opt to pay tax at 15% plus surcharge at 10% and cess at 4% if it does not claim any incentive/deduction. The effective rate of tax comes to 17.16% for these companies. They would also not be subjected to MAT.

• A company that does not opt for the concessional tax regime and avails the tax exemption/incentive shall continue to pay tax at the pre-amended rate. However, these companies can opt for the concessional tax regime after the expiry of their tax holiday/exemption period. After the exercise of the option, they shall be liable to pay tax at the rate of 22%. Further, in order to provide relief to companies which continue to avail exemptions/incentive, the rate of MAT was reduced from existing 18.5% to 15%.

• In order to provide relief to listed companies, the buy-back tax on shares of listed companies introduced through the Finance Act will not apply to buy-backs in respect of which public announcement was made before 5th July, 2019.

• In order to stabilise the flow of funds into the capital market, it was provided that the enhanced surcharge introduced through the Finance Act on capital gains arising on account of transfer of listed equity share or certain units that are liable to securities transaction tax will not apply. Further, it was also provided that the enhanced surcharge will not apply to capital gains income of FPIs (Foreign Portfolio Investment) arising out of the transfer of any security including derivatives, having a concessional tax regime.

                                                                                                                                                              Source :- PIB

Cabinet approves the Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019

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

Context :

• Union Cabinet approves the Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2019.

Background :

•  The draft code on Industrial Relations has been prepared after amalgamating, simplifying and rationalizing the relevant provisions of following three Central Labour Acts:

  • The Trade Unions Act, 1926

  • The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946

  • The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

Key Features of the Bill :

• Two-member Tribunal:

  • The bill provides for setting up of a two-member tribunal (in place of one member). This would enable adjudicating important cases jointly and the rest by a single-member thus resulting in speedier disposal of cases.

•  Empowering government officers for adjudication of disputes:

  • The bill provides for vesting of powers with the government officers for adjudication of disputes involving penalty as fines thereby lessening the burden on the tribunal.

• Flexibility to the exit provisions relating to retrenchment and others:

  • Employee threshold for seeking government approval for retrenchment, etc. has been retained at 100. However, the bill has added a provision for changing ‘such number of employees’ through notification (through executive order).

•  Re-skilling fund:

  • The bill has said that re-skilling fund is to be utilised for crediting to workers in a manner to be prescribed.

•  Fixed Term Employment:

  • Bill has proposed giving a legal framework for fixed-term employment through which contract workers serving a fixed-tenure will get equal statutory social security benefits as regular workers in the same unit.

  • Fixed-term employment would not lead to any notice period and payment of compensation on retrenchment excluded.

More in the news :

• In 2015, the government had proposed allowing factories with up to 300 workers to retrench, lay off or shut shop without seeking the government’s nod in the Industrial Relations Bill proposed in 2015. At present, factories with up to 100 workers can do so.

• Amid severe opposition from trade unions on this proposal, the government decided to shelve it and retain the present threshold.

• A few states have allowed factories with 300 workers to retrench without official sanction.

  •  Now, these state labour reforms would be nullified as the central laws take precedence.

  • Labour falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution.

                                                                                                   Source :- PIB ; Business Standard

Cabinet approves strategic disinvestment of CPSEs.

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Context :

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister, has accorded ‘In-principle’ approval for strategic disinvestment in select central public sector enterprises (CPSEs).

Background:

• In 2015, the Government reinitiated the policy of strategic disinvestment in order to open up sectors for private enterprise to bring efficiency in management that would contribute to general economic development.

• Strategic Disinvestment is guided by the basic economic principle that the Government should discontinue its engagement in manufacturing/producing goods and services in sectors where the competitive markets have come of age, and such entities would most likely perform better in the private hands due to various factors e.g. technology up-gradation and efficient management practices; and would thus add to the GDP of the country.

More in the news :

• Currently, the cabinet approval for strategic disinvestment has been given for:

  • Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL)

  • Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. (SCI)

  • Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR)

  • Tehri Hydro Development Corporation India Limited (THDCIL)

  • North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO)

Benefits :

• The resources unlocked by the strategic disinvestment of these CPSEs would be used to finance the social sector/developmental programmes of the Government benefiting the public.

• The unlocked resources would form part of the budget and the usage would come under the scrutiny of the public.

• It is expected that the strategic buyer/acquirer may bring in new management/technology/investment for the growth of these companies and may use innovative methods for their development.

                                                                                                                                Source :- PIB

Industrial Corridors

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

Context :

• Government has approved the development of the five industrial corridor projects which will be implemented through National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT).

5 Industrial Corridors :        

                                                                                                                                                           Source :- PIB

India's oil demand to rise 3.21% in 2019

GS PAPER  - 03 ECONOMY - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Context :

• As per the Monthly Oil Market Report published by OPEC in September, 2019, India’s oil demand will rise by 3.21 per cent to 4.88 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2019 from 4.73 mb/d during the previous year.

The oil conservation measures to be taken at the end-users level, inter-alia, includes:

• Reducing energy consumption through the introduction of standard and labelling program for equipment using petro-based fuels such as Domestic LPG Stoves, Diesel Irrigation Pump Sets & Diesel Generator Sets.

• Training of drivers and organization of transport workshops.

• Sensitizing farmers on petroleum conservation through Kisan Melas, agriculture workshops, etc.

• Carrying out energy audits.

• Educating housewives on the efficient use of domestic LPG.

• Mass awareness activities through Saksham Campaigns, Social Media campaigns, campaigns on TV, Radio & Newspapers, literature, Exhibitions, etc.

                                                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Satellites to Assess Pollution Status

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

Context :

• ISRO satellites INSAT-3D & 3DR is assessing the pollution status over the country.

Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) :

• The Imager payload on-board ISRO’s INSAT-3D & 3DR satellites is used to monitor the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD).

  • The AOD is a measure of the extinction of the solar beam by dust and haze.

  • In other words, particles in the atmosphere (dust, smoke, pollution) can block sunlight by absorbing or by scattering light.

  • AOD tells us how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by these aerosol particles.

  • It is a dimensionless number that is related to the amount of aerosol in the vertical column of atmosphere over the observation location.

  • A value of 0.01 corresponds to an extremely clean atmosphere, and a value of 0.4 would correspond to a very hazy condition.

• It is found that AOD, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are higher over the Indo-Gangetic Plains covering parts of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during October and November.

• High concentration of these pollutants is seen originating from parts of Punjab and Haryana during stubble burning.

• Climatological study of satellite-based fire occurrences and associated pollutant parameters reveal that fire occurrences increased by 4% over Punjab and Haryana region during October-November between 2003 and 2017.

• The model-based analysis suggests that there is a high probability of transportation of smoke aerosols from Punjab & Haryana, towards down-wind regions of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

• Using medium resolution Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite data, stubble burned area maps are generated at the end of stubble burning activity in the Kharif season.

• ISRO has been carrying out monitoring of stubble burning since 2015.

                                                                                                                                                                    Source :- PIB

Govt. approves proposal to enact legislation for recycling of ships

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

Context :

• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for enactment of Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 and accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.

Key Features :

•   The bill restricts and prohibits the use or installation of hazardous material, which applies irrespective of whether a ship is meant for recycling or not.

• For new ships, such restriction or prohibition on the use of hazardous material will be immediate, that is, from the date the legislation comes into force. Existing ships will have a period of five years for compliance.

•  Exception:

  •  Restriction or prohibition on the use of hazardous material would not be applied to warships and non-commercial ships operated by Government.

• Ship recycling facilities: Ship recycling facilities are required to be authorised and ships shall be recycled only in such authorized ship recycling facilities.

• Compliance with ship-specific recycling plan:

  •   Ships shall be recycled in accordance with a ship-specific recycling plan.

  •  Further, Ships to be recycled in India shall be required to obtain a ‘Ready for Recycling Certificate’.

            Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships:

• It was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in Hong Kong, China, in 2009.

• The Convention is aimed at ensuring that ships when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety or to the environment.

                                                                                                                                Source :- PIB

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Three cases of bubonic plague in China

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology

Context :

• Three cases of bubonic plague have been reported in China.

Plague:

• It is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic bacteria usually found in small mammals and their fleas.

• The bacterium is believed to have originated in Yunnan in southwest China.

• According to the WHO, plague is found on all continents, except Oceania. At present, the three most endemic countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, and Peru.

Types :

• Bubonic plague:

  • It is the plague which affects the lymphatic system. It is characterized by painful swollen lymph nodes or ‘buboes’.

  • Bubonic Plague is also known as Black Death, the epidemic which occurred in Europe in the 14th Century.

• Pneumonic plague:

  • It is a plague infection of the lungs.

  • When bubonic plague advances and spread to the lungs it leads to Pneumonic plague.

• Septicemic plague: It is a rare variant of plague which infects the bloodstream.

Transmission of Plague:

• Animal to Human Transmission: Humans can contract plague if they are bitten by infected fleas.

• Person-to-person transmission occurs through the inhalation of infected respiratory droplets of a person who has pneumonic plague.

Treatment :

• Plague can be treated with antibiotics, and recovery is common if treatment starts early.

                                                                                                                            Source :- Indian Express

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