CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (I/C) virtually launches “Life in Miniature” project
- Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (I/C) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel virtually launched the “Life in Miniature” project, a collaboration between the National Museum, New Delhi, Ministry of Culture, and Google Arts & culture.
- On the Google Arts & Culture app, online viewers can experience the first Augmented Reality-powered art gallery designed with traditional Indian architecture, and explore a life-size virtual space where you can walk up to a selection of miniature paintings.
- The artworks showcased are presented along with five universal themes of the human relationship with nature, love, celebration, faith, and power.
- Users will be able to see famous miniature collections of the National Museum, like the Ramayana, Royal Saga, Pahari style paintings in never before seen ways and in extraordinary detail, in just a few clicks at co/LifeInMiniature.
About MoC&T
- Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (I/C): Shri Prahlad Singh Patel
- Constituency: Damoh, Madhya Pradesh
ECI Sets Up Panel To Examine Expenditure Limit For Candidates
- The Election Commission has constituted a two-member committee to examine the issues concerning expenditure limit for a candidate considering increase in number of electors and rise in Cost Inflation Index and other factors.
- Former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Harish Kumar, who was a Director General, Investigation, and the EC’s Secretary General and Director General, Expenditure, Umesh Sinha will be the committee members.
- The committee’s terms of reference are to assess the change in number of electors across the states or Union Territories and its bearing on expenditure, the change in Cost Inflation Index and its bearing on the pattern of expenditure incurred by the candidates in recent elections, and seeking views of the political parties and other stakeholders.
- Also examining other factors which may have bearings on expenditure and examine any other related issue, it has been asked to submit its report within 120 days of its constitution.
About ECI
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chief Election Commissioner of India: Sunil Arora
CBSE introduces facial recognition systems for accessing digital documents
- Using the state of the art Facial Recognition System, CBSE will enable students, to download their digital academic documents of class X and XII. This computer application matches human face from a digital image already stored in the database. The computer and the human interact to map the facial features. In a Similar way, a live image of the student will be matched with the photograph on the CBSE admit card already stored in repository, and once successful, the certificate will be emailed to the student.
- This application is now available on “Parniaam Manjusha” and Digi Locker at https://digilocker.gov.in/cbse-certificate.htmlfor all 2020 records.
- CBSE has already pushed 12 crores digital academic documents in Digi locker which can be opened by a student to access Mark sheets, Pass and Migration Certificates. The latest facility of Face Matching will immensely help foreign students and those who are unable to open Digi locker account for any reason such as Adhaar Card or wrong mobile numbers.
About CBSE:
- Headquarters location: Delhi
- Chairperson: Manoj Ahuja, IAS
Dept of Posts to release stamp on 75th anniversary of United Nations
- Department of Posts will be releasing a stamp in the presence of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on the eve of 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
- External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava stated India attaches highest priority to the expansion of the UN Security Council so that it reflects contemporary realities of the world.
- He stated reformed multilateralism will be a key pillar of overall approach in the upcoming innings of India as a non permanent member.
About Indian post:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Pradipta Kumar Bisoi , Secretary
- Arundhaty Ghosh, Director General
About United Nations:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945
- Secretary general: António Guterres
MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari launches India’s first-ever high quality Khadi Fabric Footwear
- Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises- MSME, Nitin Gadkari launched India’s first-ever high quality Khadi Fabric Footwear, designed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) through Video Conference.These footwear are made of Khadi fabric like Silk, Cotton and Wool.
- On the occasion, Mr Gadkari also launched the online sale of Khadi footwear through KVIC’s e-portalkhadiindia.gov.in.
- Mr Gadkari stated, such unique products has high potential of capturing the international market and at the same time, Khadi fabric footwear will create additional employment and higher income for artisans.
- Mr Gadkari also urged the KVIC to develop alternatives to leather accessories like ladies’ handbags, purses, wallet in handcrafted Khadi fabric that has a huge potential in foreign markets.
- He stated, by developing and marketing such products overseas, Khadi India can capture a market worth Rs. 5000 crore.
About Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises:
- Nitin Gadkari, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency:Nagpur
- Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of State
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Global trade likely to fall by 7 to 9% in 2020: UNCTAD
- The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has stated that the value of global trade is set to fall by seven to nine per cent in 2020 from the previous year.
- The report added that if the pandemic resurges in coming months, that could lead to a deteriorating environment for policy-makers and sudden increase in trade restrictive policies.
- Meanwhile, China’s exports rebounded strongly in the third quarter after falling in the early months of the pandemic and have posted year-on-year growth rates of nearly 10 per cent.
About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development:
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Head: Mukhisa Kituyi
UNDP and EIF partner to develop initiatives for implementation of SDGs and sustainable finance
- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) are joining forces to develop joint initiatives for sustainable finance and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- EIF and UNDP have also agreed to explore cooperation opportunities in fields of common interest: Sustainable Development Goals, risk management, socio-economic and environmental impact assessments, as well as design and delivery of financial instruments and asset management services to support inclusive, private sector-led, growth.
- This MoU falls into the wider UNDP partnership with EIB Group (composed of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund), which is essential to help countries to access and leverage COVID-19 response financing and better prevent future crises. Both organizations aim to jointly address global challenges and share knowledge with each other in areas such as migration, climate change, and crisis response.
- Building on the European Investment Bank’s – UNDP Indicative Joint Action Plan and capitalizing on successful initial institutional collaboration, EIF would leverage UNDP’s socio-economic assessments and seek support from UNDP in the context of embedding the SDGs into the deployment of financial instruments. At the same time, UNDP seeks to benefit from EIF’s unique experience in the context of structuring, deploying, and managing financial instruments and the related risks.
About United Nations Development Programme:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Head: Achim Steiner
India and US to hold two plus two Ministerial Dialogue on Oct 27
