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Daily Current Affairs for Prelims | PT Exam
Today Current Affairs: 5th December 2019 for UPSC IAS exams, State PSC exams, SSC CGL, State SSC, RRB, Railways, Banking Exam & IBPS, etc.
1. Mahila Kisan Shashaktikarn Pariyojna.
National Policy for Farmers(NPF)(2007), the Department of Rural Development is implementing a program exclusively for women farmers namely, Mahila Kisan Shasaktikarn Pariyojna
- It is a sub-component of Deendayal Antodaya Yojna – NRLM.
- It seeks to enhance the opportunities available to women.
- MKSP recognizes the identity of women as Kisan.
- Funding support of up to 60%(90% for northeastern states)is provided by the Government of India.
2. Vice President has launched the new Rotavirus vaccine-ROTAVAC5D.
The vaccine has been designed and developed by Bharat Biotech.
About Rotavirus
- Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea and death among children less than 5 years of age.
- It is responsible for around 10% of the total child mortality rate.
- Rotavirus is transmitted by the facial-oral route, via contact with a contaminated hand, etc.
- Symptoms are high fever, nausea, and vomiting, often followed by stomach cramps and watery diarrhea.
3. Ministry of Corporate Affairs has launched the Independent Directors Databank.
The Independent Directors Databank is launched in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act,2013.
What is Independent Directors Databank?
Developed and maintained by the Indian Institute for Corporate Affairs(IICA)under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. It provides for a wide array of e-learning courses on various topics including the Companies Act, Securities Law, basic accountancy, etc.
Companies can register themselves with the databank. It provides an easy way to access platform for the registration of existing Independent Directors( director on a board of directors representing minority shareholders and who does not have a pecuniary relationship with the company or related persons, except for sitting fees).
4. Punjab to create Land banks in rural areas.
With an aim to create Land banks in rural areas to boost industrial development, the Punjab Cabinet has given in-principle approval to amend the Law for transfer of common village land in rural areas to the state’s Industry Development.
The new rule would pave the way for transfer fo Shamlat land (It is one that does not come under habitation and cultivation and is considered as consolidating land holdings for common use) for industrial projects to the industry department and state-owned Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation(PSIEC).
Role of Panchayat-
The Amendment ensures that the panchayat gets their duties, with all decisions to be taken on a case to case basis keeping their interest in view.
5. India tests Swedish torrefaction technology to reduce stubble burning.
What is torrefaction?
It is a thermal process used to produce high-grade solid biofuels from various streams of woody biomass for agro residues. The end product is stable homogenous, high-quality solid biofuel with greater energy density and calorific value than the original feedstock.
6. Top 100 city Destination Ranking:
Released by Euromonitor International, a UK based Global Marketing Research Company. The Euromonitor report highlights the top 100 cities based on 2018 International Arrivals, which encompasses all-purpose of visits such as business, leisure and visiting friends and relatives.
- India has emerged as the strongest emerging destination with Seven cities.
- Delhi is forecast to behold the 8th place in 2019.
7. NASA released some images showing the site of the Vikram lander of Chandrayaan 2.
NASA said the image of debris is about 750 meters northwest of the main crash site where Vikram made a hard landing on September 7th, 2019. ISRO’S Chandrayaan 2 mission was expected to make a soft landing on the surface of the moon when it lost contact with the Vikram Lander ahead of the scheduled touchdown.
About Vikram and Pragyan:
The indigenously developed Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft comprising of orbiter lander “Vikram” and rover “Pragyan” was successfully launched onboard the indigenous GSLV MKIII-M1 mission on July 22, 2019.
- The ISRO is planning to launch Chandrayaan 3 in 2020.
8. PISA( Programme for Internationa Student Assesment) test
The program is the study done to produce comparable data on education policy and outcomes across the country.
It is initiated by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD), an Intergovernmental Economic Organisation with 36 member countries.
The PISA test is held every three years and the next test will be held in 2021, in which government schools in Chandigarh will represent India.
India has participated in the PISA test only once before, in 2009, where students from Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu participated for the test, ranking 72 out of 73 countries.
9. Didymos:
NASA and ESA want to hit an asteroid called Didymos. The twin asteroid system Didymos is a binary near-earth asteroid.
- Near-Earth asteroids, which orbit in the inner part of the Solar System, most likely form by spin-up and mass shedding
10. Indo-German strategic collaboration on Railways:
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi notified of a Joint Declaration of Intent(JDI) between India and Germany regarding strategic cooperation on railways projects.
- Joint Declaration of Intent will provide a platform to Indian Railways to interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the field of railways
- It will also facilitate the exchange of meetings, technical visits, etc.
11. December 5 to be observed as World Soil Day:
The world soil day was endorsed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 2013
The day is marked focussing on sustainable development goal 15 which is “life on land”.the goals aims at protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial use of ecosystem
12. Bharat Bond exchange-traded fund(ETF):
The cabinet committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for the creation and launch of the Bharat Bond and Exchange Traded Fund(ETF).
The fund will provide an additional source of money for Central Public Sector Undertakings(CPSUs), Central Public Sector Enterprises(CPSEs), Central Public Financial Institution(CPFIs) and other Government Organisations to meet their borrowing requirements, apart from bank financing.
What is Exchange-Traded Fund?
It is a basket of securities that trade on an exchange, just like stock.
Features of Bharat Bond:
ETF comprises a basket of bonds issued by central public sector enterprises, other govt entities. Each ETF to have a fixed maturity date, initially to be issued in two series of 3 years and 10 years.
13. World Malaria Report, 2019:
The World Health Organisation has released the World Malaria Report, 2019.
According to the report,
- 228 million cases of malaria are observed worldwide, down from 251 million cases in 2010.
- India along with 19 countries in sub-Saharan Africa carried almost 85% of the global malaria burden.
14. Right to a Fair Trial:
The supreme court in a recent verdict has held that the routine practice of investigating agencies of producing documents in sealed covers and the judges reproducing them as judicial findings of their own will affect the right to a fair of accused.
About the Fair Trial
The right to a fair trial is a concept which is essentially embodied in the Constitution of India. In a democratic country like India, even an accused cannot be denied his right to life and personal liberty. Indian Constitution through its Article 21 renders the fair trial a part of life and personal liberty.
15. Global Climate Risk index, 2020:
The International Environment Think Tank GermanWatch has recently released the Global Climate Risk Index. The index analyses the extent to which countries and regions have been affected by the impacts of weather-related loss events(storms, floods, etc).
- Worst affected in 2018- Japan, Philippines, and Germany.
- India’s rank-5
16. Extra Neutral Alcohol:
Alcohol manufacturers have written to NITI Aayog asking for a reduction in import duty so as they can import extra neutral alcohol from global markets cost-effectively.
What is Extra Neutral Alcohol?
- It is a primary raw material for making alcoholic beverages such as whiskey, vodka, etc.
17. Sundar Pichai becomes CEO of Alphabet:
Sundar Pichai CEO of Google has now become CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet. Pichai has been appointed to this post following the resignation of goole co founder Lary Page and Segey Brain.
About Alphabet: All the services and products of google come under its parent company Alphabet.
18. Citizenship Amendment bill 2019, in Lok Sabha:
On December 4, 2019, the Union Cabinet cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) bill, for the bill to be tabled in Lok Sabha.
Features of the Bill:
The bill aims at providing Indian citizenship to 6 minority communities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The communities are Hindu, Christian, Sikhs, Buddhist and Jain. Currently for a person to get Indian citizenship, he should have resided in the country for 11 years. The bill intends to amend this as 6 years.
The bill has not included Muslim community. This according to the opposition is violation of Article 14 that legalizes equality before law. The article states that the government shall show no discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, race, sex or birth.
Daily Important Current Affairs one-liner
- Global Carbon Budget of 2019 has been released. – More info
- Govt. to implement the portability of the National Food Security Act benefits.
- Center not to stop circulation of high denomination notes.
- TRAI implements new mobile number portability rules. – More info
- NATO to mark 70th year of its alliance.
- UN warns on severe Malnutrition in Zimbawe.
- Indian women football team beats Maldives in South Asian games.
- Scientists at the Indian National centre for Oceanic information services (INCOIS) have recently viewed their opinions about earthquake source regions.
- RBI fifth monetary policy: Repo rate unchanged at 5.15%, the reverse repo rate at 4.9% and the bank rate at 5.4%.
- DRDO to develop a naval fighter jet.
- President of India conferred the national florence nightangle award to 36 awardees.
- International volunteer day observed on 5th december.
- Exercise Hand in Hand -India China joint training.
- Economic times Life Time Achivement award was recieved by Arun Jaitley
- Joker fame Joaquin Phoenix named 2019 person of the year by PETA.
- Odisha launches an e-learning Madhu app to help school students.
- Newzealand cricket team has been awarded the Christopher martin-jenkinsspirit of cricket award.
- Fit India school rating system launched as part of the fit india campaign.
- Cipla foundation has introduced a Mobile science lab to provide quality education.
- National museum of Indian Cinema signs MoU with films division and book my show.
- Goa to host 2nd edition of startup India global venture capital summit.
- Pacific Air Chief’s Symposium 2019 being held in Hawaii.
This was all for Today’s current affairs.
