Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 20th September 2022

INSPIRE Awards 2022:

The 9th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC) for the INSPIRE Awards – MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge), has commenced.

• The INSPIRE Awards were presented to 60 Start-Ups and financial support was provided to 53,021 students.
• It touched an unparalleled level of inclusivity by representing ideas and innovations of 702 districts of the country (96%) including 123 out of 124 aspirational districts, with 51% representation from girls, 84% participation from schools located in rural areas of the country and 71% of the schools run by the State / UT Governments.

INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research) Award:

• It is aligned with the ‘Start-up India’ initiative and is being executed by DST (Department of Science and Technology) with National Innovation Foundation – India (NIF), an autonomous body of DST.
• Under this, the students are invited from all government or private schools throughout the country, irrespective of their educational boards (national and state).
• Financial support of Rs 10,000 each would be provided so that they could develop prototypes of the ideas which they submitted for the scheme.

Swachhta Pakhwara:

The Ministry of Railways has launched “Swachhta Pakhwara” across Indian Railways.

• The Ministry also released the Annual Report on Environment Sustainability.
• The Ministry of Railways is observing Swachhta Pakdwara from 16th September 2022 to 30th September 2022.
• Special focus will be given on cleanliness of tracks at stations, approach to major stations and elimination of plastic waste in Railway premises.
• During the Pakhwara, intensive cleaning and sanitization of stations, trains, tracks, colonies and other railway establishments is being carried out with special focus on plastic waste management.
• Extensive awareness campaigns are planned to be carried out through digital media/public announcement through Public
• Address systems to educate people about the use of bio-toilets, avoiding single-use plastic, and observing cleanliness habits.
• Swachhta Pakhwara started in April 2016.
• It aims to bring a fortnight of intense focus on the issues and practices of Swachhta by engaging GOI Ministries/Departments in their jurisdictions.
• The Ministries observing Swachhata Pakhwada are monitored closely using the online monitoring system of Swachhata Samiksha where action plans, images, videos related to Swachhata activities are uploaded and shared.

PM PRANAM Scheme:

To reduce the use of chemical fertilisers the Government is Planning to Launch the PM PRANAM (Promotion of Alternate Nutrients for Agriculture Management Yojana) Scheme.

• PRANAM Scheme Objectives: To encourage the balanced use of fertilisers in conjunction with biofertilisers and organic fertilisers.
• Aim: To bring down the subsidy burden on chemical fertilisers, which is estimated to reach Rs 2.25 lakh crore in 2022-23 — 39% higher than 2021 figure of Rs 1.62 lakh crore.
• The scheme will have no separate budget and will be financed through the “savings of existing fertiliser subsidy” under schemes run by the Department of Fertilizers.
• 50% of subsidy savings will be passed on as a grant to the state that saves the money.
• 70% of the grant provided under the scheme can be used for asset creation related to the technological adoption of alternate fertilisers and alternate fertiliser production units at the village, block and district levels.
• The remaining 30% grant money can be used for rewarding and encouraging farmers, panchayats, farmer producer organisations and self-help groups that are involved in the reduction of fertiliser use and awareness generation.
• The calculation of reducing chemical fertiliser use of urea in a year will be compared to the average consumption of urea during the last three years.
• For this purpose, data available on a Fertilizer Ministry dashboard, IFMS (Integrated Fertilizers Management System) will be used.

19th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Meeting:

India and Cambodia co-chaired the 19th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers’ meeting in Cambodia.

• The Economic Ministers or their representatives from all the 10 ASEAN countries attended the meeting.

Highlights of the Meeting:

• The Ministers noted that trade and economic relations between ASEAN and India are starting to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the two-way trade between ASEAN and India reached USD 91.5 billion in 2021 increasing by 39.2% year-on-year.
• The Ministers also took note of the recommendations made by ASEAN India Business Council (AIBC) to enhance the ASEAN India economic partnership and the activities undertaken by AIBC in 2022.
• ASEAN India-Business Council (AIBC) was set up in March 2003 as a forum to bring key private sector players from India and the ASEAN countries on a single platform for business networking and sharing of ideas.
• Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to take collective actions to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic and work towards a sustainable post-Covid-19 recovery.
• The Ministers welcomed ASEAN and India to forge collective actions in securing a robust supply chain connectivity to maintain the flow of essential goods and services through ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) Upgrade Negotiations, mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccination, vaccines production, public health surveillance, and medical technologies.
• The Ministers endorsed the Scope of the Review of the AITIGA to make it more user-friendly, simple, and trade facilitative for businesses, as well as responsive to the current global and regional challenges including supply chain disruptions.
• The Ministers also activated the AITIGA Joint Committee to undertake the review of AITIGA expeditiously.

What Is Philanthropy?

Through philanthropy, India can reach a per capita income of USD15,000 by India@100 by 2047, accelerating inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

• Philanthropy refers to charitable acts or other good works that help others or society as a whole.
• Philanthropy can include donating money to a worthy cause or volunteering time, effort, or other forms of altruism.
• Philanthropy has long been embedded in the fabric of Indian society and contributed heavily to the creation of modern-day India.
• Pre-industrial India saw business families giving away a proportion of their income to local charities.
• Industrialization enabled rapid wealth creation, business leaders like Sir Jamsetji Tata voiced their opinions on using wealth for social good, donating vast amounts to create exemplary institutions.
• Mahatma Gandhi encouraged businessmen to contribute their wealth to society as India’s Independence movement began.
• Industrialists like Jamnalal Bajaj and G.D. Birla supported Mahatma Gandhi’s initiatives during the freedom movement while pursuing their own philanthropic interests.

State Level Institution:

A state level institution on the lines of NITI Aayog will be established in Maharashtra.

• It will help to bring drastic changes in sectors like agriculture, health, education, employment, environment etc. in the state.
• Chief executive officer of NITI Aayog and other experts made a presentation on how Maharashtra will be assisted by the Aayog for bringing about changes in various sectors.
• Maharashtra government is planning to achieve target one trillion dollar economy by 2030, but with more hard work it can be achieved by 2027.
• ‘Asset monetization’ is important factor tabled by the NITI Aayog and the new constructed Samruddhi Mahamarg in the state is the example of asset monetization.

77th Session Of The United Nations General Assembly:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in New York to participate in the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

• The theme of the 77th UNGA is ‘A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges’.
• In keeping with India’s strong commitment to reformed multilateralism, the Minister will host a Ministerial meeting of the
• G4 – India, Brazil, Japan, and Germany – as well as participate at the High Level Meeting of the L-69 Group on ‘Reinvigorating Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council’.
• The L-69 Group consists of developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean and Small Island Developing States, focused on reforms of the UN Security Council.

Global Clean Energy Action Forum:

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will lead the Joint Indian Ministerial official delegation of the Ministry of Power, New and Renewable Energy and Ministry of Science and Technology on a five-day visit to USA to participate in the Global Clean Energy Action Forum and also to interact with eminent academicians as well as the Indian diaspora.

• The coveted joint convening of the Clean Energy Ministerial CEM13 and Mission Innovation MI-7 will take place from 21st to 23rd of this month at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
• The event is expected to bring together thousands of clean energy leaders from across the world, including CEOs, innovators, young professionals, civil society and ministers from over 30 countries to accelerate clean energy innovation and deployment.

Direct Tax Collections:

India’s net direct tax collections have crossed ₹7 lakh crore so far this year, 23.33% more than the corresponding period last year, signalling a post-pandemic rebound in the economy, the Finance Ministry said.

• Net direct tax collections as on Saturday stood at ₹7,00,669 crore, compared with ₹5,68,147 crore as of September 17, 2021, with corporate taxes constituting little over a half of the kitty at ₹3,68,484 crore.
• The personal income tax and the securities transaction tax (STT) have yielded ₹3.3 lakh crore.
• Advance tax collections stood at ₹2,95,308 crore, 17% higher than the corresponding period of 2021-22, with corporate tax contributing a little over ₹2.29 lakh crore and personal income tax bringing in the rest of the ₹66,176 crore.
• The Ministry said there had been a “remarkable increase in the speed of processing of income tax returns filed during the current financial year” with almost 93% of the duly verified ITRs having been processed till September 17.