Current Affairs - 2019-20

Notes:
SDR was created by the IMF in 1969 as a supplementary international reserve asset. Technically SDR is not a currency. The value of SDR is based on the basket of the four major currencies – US Dollar, Euro, UK Pound and Japanese Yen. From 1st October 2016, Yuan will be the fifth currency in the basket. The IMF members who hold the SDR are allowed to freely exchange their SDR with any of the four currencies in the IMF’s basket. Generally countries exchange their SDR with four major currencies to meet their trade needs with other countries. 

Notes:
100%=360°
∴1%=360°/100
∴10%=360°*10/100=36°

Notes:
The Unified Commanders’ Conference (UCC) for the year 2018 has started at New Delhi on July 30 to review external security challenges as well as the country’s preparedness. The 2-day annual conference will provide a platform for discussions at the Apex Level on all ‘Joint Issues’ among the three Services & Ministry of Defence. The scope of this conference is to enable the forum to facilitate joint stock taking of the previous year’s performance of all Services & Departments of Ministry of Defence and jointly chart the course for the next year. The conference will be attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force among others.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted a 2-member monitoring committee to oversee the Yamuna rejuvenation project. The committee, comprising former Delhi Chief Secretary Shailaja Chandra and retired NGT expert member Bikram Singh Sajwan, has been directed to submit the first action plan by September 2018 and report by December 2018. The green panel also directed the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments to assist the committee on the project. The Tribunal directed the authorities to take strict action against encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains. It also directed the Delhi Development Authority and the Delhi Jal Board to hold a meeting on July 30 for identifying land for setting up of a sewage treatment plant on a drain which falls under phase-II of the Yamuna cleaning programme. The current chairperson of the NGT is Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, retired Supreme Court Judge.

Notes:
These terms are related to Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) that were defined under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. INDCs were considered to be a compromise between “quantified emissions limitation and reduction objective” (QUELROs) and “nationally appropriate mitigation actions” (NAMAs) that the Kyoto Protocol used to describe the different legal obligations of developed and developing countries.

Notes:
Recently, the central government announced a National Mission on advanced ultra supercritical technologies for cleaner coal utilisation at a total cost of US 238 million. Under the mission, the government plans to set-up two Centres of Excellence on Clean Coal Technologies at US 5 million each. What is Advanced Ultra-Supercritical (AUSC) Technology? The pulverised coal power plants are divided into four categories based on operating temperature, pressure and efficiency of steam cycle. First is subcritical pulverised coal power plant that operates with critical temperature and critical pressure of water below 540 degree and 170-220 bars and has operating efficiency below 38%. Second is supercritical pulverised coal plant that operates with critical temperature and critical pressure above 615 degree and 250 bars and reaches efficiency upto 42%. Third is ultra-supercritical pulverised coal plant that operates with critical temperature and critical pressure of water above 620 degree and 330 bars and reaches efficiency in the range of 42% to 46 %. Fourth is advanced ultra-supercritical pulverised coal technology that operates with critical temperature and critical pressure of water in range of 700-760 degrees and 350 bars and targets operating efficiency greater than 50%.

Notes:
The 12th G-20 summit concluded in July 2017 in Germany’s Hamburg city with adaptation of Hamburg Action Plan. It sets out the group’s strategy for achieving strong. At the summit, the G20 members took resolution to tackle common challenges to the global community, including terrorism, displacement, hunger, poverty and health threats, job creation, climate change, energy security and inequality including gender inequality, as a basis for sustainable development and stability. The members agreed to harness the benefits of globalisation and fulfilling the promises made in the Paris agreement.

Notes:
Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently announced the launch of National Strategic Plan (2017-24) and Mission “SAMPARK” with an aim to eradicate the menace of HIV/AIDS from country by year 2030. Under Mission SAMPARK, the government aims to promote “Community Based Testing”. This would help in fast-tracking the identification of all those people who are HIV positive and subsequently link them to Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) programme.

Notes:
Bharatmala Pariyojana is an umbrella programme which includes construction of roads nationwide including in border and coastal areas. It aims to achieve optimal resource allocation for a holistic highway development. It will look to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and national highways in the country.

Notes:
Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm is a joint venture between India and Sri Lanka.