Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 4th May 2023

ASEAN India Maritime Exercise 2023:

Indian Naval Ships arrived in Singapore to participate in the Inaugural ASEAN India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023).

• ASEAN India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) will inaugurate in Singapore.
• Objective is to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Indian Navy and ASEAN navies in the maritime domain.
• The Harbour Phase of the exercise is scheduled to be held at Changi Naval Base from 02 to 04 May 2023.
• During this phase, participating nations will engage in various professional and cultural exchanges.
• The Sea Phase will be conducted from 07 to 08 May 2023 in the South China Sea.
• This phase will include a wide range of naval exercises such as surface warfare exercises, anti-submarine warfare exercises, and air defence exercises.

ODF Plus Ranking Report:

Wayanad, a district in the southern Indian state of Kerala becomes the first ODF Plus district in India.

• ODF stands for Open Defecation Free.
• The ODF programme is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which was launched on October 2, 2014, by the Indian government to achieve cleanliness and sanitation across the country.
• The Wayanad district secured the first position in the ODF Plus rankings in the three-star category followed by Mancheriyal district in Maharashtra and Anupur in Madya Pradesh.
• Wayanad scored a perfect 100 points in the ODF ranking, while Mancheriyal and Anupur got 90.45 and 88.79 points, respectively.

Swachh Bharat Mission:

• The Swachh Bharat Mission is a nationwide campaign launched by the Government of India to promote cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene.
• The programme focuses on eliminating open defecation, improving solid waste management, and promoting cleanliness and hygiene practices in the country.

The United States Commission On International Religious Freedom Report:

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recently released its 2023 Annual Report, which highlights the status of religious freedom across the globe during 2022.

Recommendations:

• The USCIRF recommends that 17 countries be designated as Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs) for violating the right to freedom of religion or belief.
• Additionally, five new countries, including India, are recommended to be designated as CPCs.
• The report suggests 11 countries for being added to the State Department’s SWL, with Sri Lanka being one of them, and it is being proposed for the first time due to the worsening religious freedom conditions in 2022. In addition, the report recommends redesignating seven non-state actors as “entities of particular concern” (EPCs) because of their ongoing, systematic, and extreme violations of religious freedom.
• Moreover, seven non-state actors are recommended for redesignation as “entities of particular concern” (EPCs) for systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.
• The report includes USCIRF’s Freedom or Religion or Belief (FoRB) Victims List, which features individuals who are particularly vulnerable to and victimized by religious freedom violations.

14-Point Action Plan To Reduce Air Pollution : Delhi Govt

Delhi Chief Minister announced a 14-point action plan to reduce air pollution during the summer months with a focus on controlling dust pollution.

Highlights of the action plan:

• The Delhi government will conduct a real-time apportionment study of 13 identified hotspots to find sources of pollution and solutions to curb them.
• People will have to register to carry out construction work on land measuring more than 500 square meters.
• The government will increase green cover by planting 59 lakh samplings.
• Urban farming will also be increased and 400 workshops will be conducted and free training kits will be given to people.
• The government is preparing a new policy to deal with industrial waste management and techniques to collect and scientifically dispose of industrial waste to curb industrial pollution.

Business Ready (B-READY) Rankings:

The World Bank released the Business Ready (B-READY) rankings.

• The World Bank Group is implementing a new corporate flagship, Business Ready (B-READY).
• Objective is to assess the business and investment environment worldwide annually.
• B-READY improves upon and replaces Doing Business.
• The new approach is informed by advice from experts in the WBG and recommendations from qualified academics and practitioners outside the institution, including the External Panel Review on DB methodology.
• The new benchmarking exercise is being developed in the Development Economics (DEC) Global Indicators Group (DECIG).
• This Group will design, pilot, and implement the new benchmarking exercise.
• It will be under the guidance of the WBG Chief Economist and DEC Senior Vice President.
• The data collection and reporting process will be governed by the highest possible standards, including sound data gathering

National SC-ST Hub Scheme : 1 Lakh Beneficiary Registrations

The Prime Minister praises National SC-ST Hub Scheme for crossing over 1 lakh beneficiary registrations.

• The National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) is under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• It has been set up to provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs to fulfil the obligations under the Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises Order 2012, adopt applicable business practices and leverage the Stand-Up India initiative.
• The key action areas of NSSH include vendor development, participation in public procurement, building a reliable database, mentoring and handholding support, policy advocacy with states, credit facilitation, capacity building, private affirmative action, technology upgradation, marketing support, and special subsidies under various schemes.
• Benefits of the Scheme:-
  • To achieve the 4% Public Procurement target from SC-ST entrepreneurs
  • Facilitating SC/ST Entrepreneurs to be part of vendor development programs and mentoring support.
  • Collection, collation and dissemination of information regarding SC/ST enterprises and entrepreneurs
  • Distribution of trade-specific tool kits to trained candidates

Ludhiana Gas Leak Tragedy : 11 People Died

11 people died due to a gas leak in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana, Punjab.

• According to the air quality sensors used by NDRF, high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide gas, a kind of neurotoxin, have been detected.
• Neurotoxins are poisonous substances which can directly affect the nervous system.
• They directly attack the respiratory tract of the body, thereby overpowering the oxygen concentration of the body and then the nervous system as well.
• Methane, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are common neurotoxic gases.
• While methane and carbon monoxide are odourless gases, hydrogen sulphide has a pungent odour and in higher concentrations, it can be fatal for humans.

Buland Bharat Exercise:

Indian Army recently conducted the ‘Buland Bharat’ exercise in the longest high-altitude Artillery Ranges of the eastern theatre.

• Buland Bharat Exercise is an integrated surveillance and firepower training exercise conducted by the Indian Army.
• It was conducted in the recently operationalised longest High Altitude Artillery Ranges of Eastern Theatre located in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The exercise involved the synergised application of surveillance and firepower capabilities of the Artillery and the Infantry in close coordination with Special Forces, Aviation, and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in West Kameng and Tawang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The exercise validated plans for bringing down integrated firepower by orchestrating synchronised firing by artillery guns and fire support components of the Infantry aimed toward the destruction of designated targets.
• The month-long training culminated in the test exercise in which troops and equipment were tested in simulated war conditions in the high-altitude area and extreme weather conditions.
• Synergised surveillance and firepower from Infantry and Artillery radars, weapon systems and direction of fire from the air were practised during the exercise.
• Uninterrupted communication on multiple media was also tested at long distances.

Antonov AN-32 Aircarft:

India recently donated propellers of the Antonov AN-32 military transport aircraft to Sri Lanka.

• Antonov AN-32 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft.
• It is designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau of Ukraine.
• It was purchased by India from the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1984.
• Its Nato reporting name is Cline.
• The AN-32 can be operated at high-altitude airfields (up to 4500 m above sea level) and in a hot climate, making the aircraft suitable for tactical military transport or other evacuation operations.
• It can carry a maximum weight of 27 tons at a maximum speed of 530 km/h.
• 42 paratroopers or 50 passengers or 24 Casualties on a stretcher with three medical personnel.
• It also has a limited bombing role and is used for para-trooping operations.

60th Foundation Day Of Indian Institute Of Foreign Trade:

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi recently celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on its 60th Foundation Day.

• The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) was established in 1963 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry to contribute in the skill building for the external trade sector of India.
• The Institute was granted “Deemed to be University” status in 2002.
• The Institute was granted the prestigious AACSB accreditation on 17th November, 2021.
• With this the IIFT figures amongst 900+ Business School of the world which have earned this accreditation.
• The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has recognized IIFT as Grade ‘A’ Institution in 2005 as well as in 2015.