Current Affairs - 2019-20

Notes:
In a major digital initiative to help plan the traffic flows and optimize freight operations, Ministry of Railways has launched Smart Freight Operation Optimisation and Real Time Information (SFOORTI) App for freight managers. The app provides features for monitoring and managing freight business using Geographic Information System (GIS) Views and Dashboard. With this application both passenger and freight trains can be tracked over Zones, Divisions and Sections in single GIS View. The app provides a bird’s eye view of all freight assets in a single window and end to end rake movement on Geospatial view. Expected traffic at interchange points can be viewed to evaluate daily performance. Position of rakes for specific type of stock can be viewed through this application.

Notes:
World’s First “Smart Train” based on Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) has been launched in China. The train is currently only operating on a small 3.1-kilometre-long stretch with just four stations and will soon go into regular service from next year. The rail system is capable of carrying 300 passengers in its three carriages and has a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour.

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The Convention on Cybercrime is also known as the Budapest Convention. It is the first international treaty seeking to address Internet and computer crime by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. It is supplemented by a Protocol on Xenophobia and Racism committed through computer systems. The Convention was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe at its 109th session in 2001 and came into effect in 2004.

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The Katoch Committee gave its recommendation for reforms in pharmaceutical Sector. The committee submitted its report in February 2015. Here are the recommendations of the committee:

• The committee suggested setting up of mega parks for API or Bulk drugs manufacturing. Since setting up API or Bulk Industry requires large tracts of land, water and electricity facility, effluent treatment plants, testing facilities, etc; therefore, government should ensure availability of all these facilities at reasonable cost.
• The bulk drug industry is known as one of the major polluting industries. Currently, the cost of the pollution control is very high in the country due to lack of capital intensive technology. Therefore, it is necessary to have proper rules and regulations to have check on the pollution level and the quality of the output.
• Innovative ideas and products should be promoted and awards to the scientists/industry should be given for contribution to the industry. Further, protecting innovation through patents will also help to prompt further innovation in the sector.
• There should be provisions for easy soft loans to the Industry through interest subvention upto 7.5%, and Capex loan to the manufacturers of APls.
• Income Tax rebates on up gradation of the existing R&D facilities should be doubled to 400% from existing 200% and Income tax benefits for manufacturing companies for an initial period of 10 years.
• Creation of advance testing lab infrastructure at all Indian ports/air ports for easy import and export.
• Tax free status to cluster developers and cluster participants for 15 Years
• Measures should be adopted to encourage foreign direct investment in green field as well as brown field projects
• Incentives should be provided to the manufacturers for setting up large plants and for importing of technology so that they can reduce the cost of production.
• Financial investment from the Government in the form of dedicated equity funds for the development of clusters.
• In order to ensure single window clearance to manufacturers and to provide common facilities and other support, units of various departments of government should be located at the manufacturing cluster or site.
• Revival of public sector units for starting the manufacture of selected and very essential critical drugs and vaccines
• Committee expects six large API intermediate clusters in five to six states would be able to transform the industry. As of now, it proposes to start with two fully financed clusters (one focused on fermentation and other on APls), while other clusters would be set up in future as per requirements.
• The committee suggested that states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha which are most suited to manufacturing sector should come forward to participate in this sector. The States may also establish their own manufacturing zones for this purpose.

Notes:
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) has been developed by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre. Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is calculated on the basis of data gathered from 24 individual metrics of environmental performance.

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Indian scientists have discovered a new species of frog that has a snout-shaped nose, just like a pig’s. It has been named Nasikabatrachus bhupathi after the Indian herpetologist S. Bhupathy, who died in a freak accident in 2014. The soiled-dwelling species has been discovered by scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). Bhupathy’s purple frog inhabits the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, near the Srivilliputhur Grizzled Giant Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister recently approved the change in definitions of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises based on “investment in plant & machinery/equipment” to “annual turnover” basis. As per new definitions, a micro enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover does not exceed five crore rupees; a small enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover is more than five crore rupees but does not exceed Rs 75 crore; and a medium enterprise will be defined as a unit where the annual turnover is more than seventy-five crore rupees but does not exceed Rs 250 crore.

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The Ganga Sanskriti Yatra was held in Feb, 2016. It started from Gangotri and ended at Kapilmuni Ashram, Gangasagar, which is the summit of Ganga.

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Express Wi-Fi is an initiative of Facebook in India. It is live in India and it empowers local entrepreneurs to help provide quality Internet access to their neighbours and make a steady income with the help of internet service providers and local entrepreneurs to help expand connectivity to underserved locations around the world.

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Recently, Scientists of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have found a new species of Zingiber from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The new species indeed possesses ethno-medicinal uses. The fresh juice from the fleshy tuberous roots is used to treat abdominal pain and anti-helminthic troubles by Nicobarese and certain other tribal communities.