CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Arthritis Day (WAD)
- Since 1996, October 12 is observed as World Arthritis Day. Arthritis is inflammation of the joints which affects movement.
- This year’sWorld Arthritis Day theme – “It’s in your hands, take action”
International Day for Disaster Reduction
- The United Nations General Assembly has designated October 13th as theInternational Day for Disaster Risk Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction.
- It is an opportunity to acknowledge the progress being made toward reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health in line with theSendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in March 2015.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Central govt employees can now get Rs 10,000 interest-free advance
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the conference announced a one-time Rs 10,000 interest-free festival advance to all its officers and employees under the Special Festival Advance Scheme.
- The scheme has been announced as part of plans to increase consumer spending to spur demand in the economy which has suffered a blow from the pandemic.
- The festival advance was discontinued from 6th Pay Commission for central government employees. But as a one-time measure, an interest-free advance will be given to all officers and employees of the central government.
About the special festival advance
- The Rs 10,000 advance will come as a pre-paid RuPay card, which can be availed and spent by March 31, 2021.
- The Interest-free advance of Rs 10,000 will be recoverable in maximum 10 instalments
- The government expects to disburse Rs 4,000 crore on this scheme. If given by state governments, another Rs 8000 crore is likely to be disbursed. Assuming 50% adoption by states the estimate is Rs 4,000 crore.
- It is recommended to restore festival advance to govt employees for festivals up to 31st January 2021.
- Additional consumer demand generated because of this scheme is expected to be Rs 8,000 crore.
Rajnath Singh Lays Foundation Stone For Nechiphu Tunnel In Arunachal Pradesh
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the strategically important Nechiphu tunnel at West Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh via video conferencing.
- The 450m-long tunnel, which will bypass the existing road, will be D-shaped and comprise two lanes of 5m width each. Another 1.8 km-long tunnel is also being constructed on the BCT road and both will reduce the distance to the area bordering China by 10km.
- Nechiphu tunnel will be crucial not only for the armed forces but also for the local civilian population in places like Bhalukpong and Tawang.
- The Defence Minister also inaugurated 43 BRO-made bridges across 7 Border States of the country, including 7 in Arunachal and 4 in Sikkim.
- Meanwhile, the defence minister also informed that the Centre is initiating all necessary steps to better road infra in the Northeast and the Border States across the nation.
About MoD
- Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh
- Constituency: Lucknow, Up
About Arunachal Pradesh
- Capital: Itanagar
- Governor: D. Mishra.
- Chief minister: Pema Khandu
PM Modi to release autobiography of Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the autobiography of Balasaheb Vikhe Patil and rename Pravara Rural Education Society as ‘Loknete Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Pravara Rural Education Society’, through video conferencing in a programme.
- Balasaheb Vikhe Patil served as Member of Lok Sabha for multiple terms. His autobiography is titled ‘Deh Vechwa Karani’ which means ‘dedicating one’s life for a noble cause’.
- Patil is known for his path-breaking work in various fields, including agriculture and cooperatives.
- Pravara Rural Education Society was established in 1964 at Loni in Ahmednagar district, with the aim to provide world class education to the rural masses and empower the girl child.
- The Society is currently serving with the core mission of educational, social, economical, cultural, physical and psychological development of students.
India’s sulfur dioxide emissions see first decline in 4 years
- India’s sulfur dioxide emissions dropped in 2019, the first decline in four years for the world’s largest spewer of the pollutant responsible for human health risks and acid rain.
- Emissions from India dropped 6% last year as the country consumed less coal, mirroring a similar decline in global emissions of the toxic gas, according to a new report from Greenpeace India and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. All three of the world’s top emitters — India, Russia and China — saw reductions in sulfur dioxide, according to the report which analyzed NASA satellite data.
- The reduction in sulfur dioxide, which increases the risks of heart and lung diseases, is good news for Indian cities that have some of the world’s dirtiest air. Still, dangers remain as coal is set to dominate the nation’s energy mix for years to come.
- India accounted for 21% of global SO2, mostly from coal-fired power plants that lack pollution-curbing equipment, the report stated. In contrast, China, the world’s biggest coal burner, saw SO2 emissions plummet 5% last year and 87% since 2011, thanks to strengthened emissions standards and increased use of scrubbers at power plants.
- India’s environment ministry in 2015 set new standards for emissions of SO2, nitrogen oxides and mercury, asking power plants to comply in two years. The generators instead successfully lobbied to get the deadline pushed back until 2022, and are now seeking a further extension, citing lack of clarity on how the costs will be compensated.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Indian, Taiwanese think tanks join hands to foster cooperation in Indo-Pacific region
- The Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF), a leading think tank from Taiwan has signed a memorandum with India’s National Maritime Foundation (NMF) in order to foster cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region as part of Taiwan’s South bound policy.
- The two groups will set up a joint task force to deepen bilateral dialogue. The memorandum’s aim is to conduct joint research and expand cooperation.
- The goal of the TAEF is to promote comprehensive ties between Taiwan and the 10 ASEAN countries, six South Asian states, as well as Australia and New Zealand through cooperation and exchanges in three major fields – including think tanks, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and young leaders – to consolidate a sense of regional community in Asia and establish long-term cooperative partnerships.
About Taiwan
- Capital: Taipei
- President: Tsai Ing-wen
- Currency: New Taiwan dollar
Seventh round of military level talks between India & China underway to de-escalate tension along LAC
- In Ladakh region, the talk between India and China is underway to resolve the border issues on Line of Actual Control. The Commander level talks between both the countries began at the Chushul border personnel meeting point on Indian side.
- The Military commanders are meeting for the seventh time to work out the measures to preserve the peace and tranquility at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh region.
- Fire and Fury GOC, Lt Gen Harinder Singh and his successor after a couple of days, Lt Gen PGK Menon are leading the Indian delegation.
- Sources associated with the talks process said that for the first time, China also sent a senior level foreign ministry official in their delegation. During the sixth round of talks between commanders on September 21, a senior diplomat and East Asia region joint secretary Naveen Srivastava participated in Indian delegation.
- The talks mainly focus on disengagement of forces from several friction points especially finger areas of Pangong Tso to ease the unprecedented tensions on the border between the two countries.
About China:
- Capital: Beijing
- President: Xi Jinping
- Currency: Renminbi
India donates 1.8 million N95 masks to Philadelphia
- India has donated 8 million N95 masks to Philadelphia, the largest city in the US state of Pennsylvania, to help in its fight against Covid-19, setting another example of a robust Indo-US partnership in the health sector.
- The move comes after the Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, made a request to India for supply of masks to be used by the city’s frontline workers.
- “Philadelphia receives 1.8 million N95 masks from India to aid their fight against COVID-19,” India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. “Another example of the robust India-US reliable partnership in the health sector!” he added.
- On October 5, at the request of the city mayor, 1.8 million N95 masks were delivered to Philadelphia for use of frontline workers. Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous US city.
- The move is also an indication of India’s capabilities in manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) not only for domestic use, but also exports, officials said.
FATF’s Asia Pacific Group keeps Pakistan on ‘enhanced follow-up list’ for slow progress against terror financing
- In a major setback to Pakistan, the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering has reprimanded the South-Asian country for its slow progress on the technical recommendations of the FATF to fight terror financing.
- Earlier, Pakistan had requested for its ratings pertaining to targeted financial sanctions on terrorism and terrorist financing to be revised.
- The APG stated that the insufficient progress made by the country fails to justify a re-rating.
- The APG stated, Pakistan will remain in the enhanced follow-up list and will have to continue to report back to the APG on progress to strengthen its implementation of comprehensive Anti-money Laundering and Terrorist Financing measures.
