CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Science Day for Peace and Development
- World Science Day for Peace and Developmentis observed on November 10 every year to raise the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives.
- It highlights the significant role ofscience in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues.
- To celebrate the 2020 World Science Day, UNESCO will organize an online roundtable on the theme of “Science for and with Society in dealing with COVID-19”.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Govt sets up Inter-Ministerial Committee to strengthen capital goods sector: Prakash Javadekar
- Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Prakash Javadekar informed that the government has set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to strengthen the capital goods sector.
- He stated, these interventions will help the capital goods sector in contributing more actively towards the national goal of achieving a one trillion dollar manufacturing sector.
- The Minister stated, the 21-member Inter-Ministerial Committee will be headed by Secretary of Department of Heavy Industries.
- He stated, the committee will work out ways and means to make the capital goods sector globally competitive and to become the manufacturing hub for the world.
About Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises:
- Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
- Constituency: Madhya Pradesh
- Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
Rajnath Singh unveils model of Anti-Satellite Missile at DRDO Bhawan
- A model of Anti-Satellite Missile installed inside the DRDO Bhawan premises was unveiled by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. ‘Mission Shakti’ was the country’s first ever Anti-Satellite (A-SAT) Missile Test successfully conducted on 27th March 2019 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha, where a fast-moving Indian orbiting target satellite in Low Earth Orbit was neutralised with pinpoint accuracy.
- This was a highly complex mission, conducted at extremely high speed with remarkable precision.
- The successful conduct of Mission Shakti made India the fourth nation in the world with the capability to defend its assets in outer space.
About MoD:
- Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh
- Constituency: Lucknow, Up
Digital news, OTT added under I&B Ministry
- The government has brought films, audio-visuals, news and current affairs content on online platforms– under the domain of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
- According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, content made available by online providers such as Netflix will also come under the ministry.
- The notification, signed by President Ram Nath Kovind, stated the decision has been taken in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of article 77 of the Constitution, by amending the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 and it will come into effect immediately.
- With this, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has the power to regulate policies related to news, audio, visual contents and films available on online platforms.
- These rules may be called the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Three Hundred and Fifty Seventh Amendment Rules, 2020. They shall come into force at once.
- In the Government of India (Allocation of Business, 1961, in THE SECOND SCHEDULE, under the heading ‘MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SOOCHANA AUR PRASARAN MANTRALAYA)’ after entry 22, the following sub-heading and entries shall be inserted, namely:- VA. DIGITAL/ONLINE MEDIA. 22A. Films and Audio-Visual programmes made available by online content providers. 22B. News and current affairs content on online platforms, it stated.
About Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of India:
- Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting
- Constituency: Madhya Pradesh
- Amit Khare, IAS, Information and Broadcasting Secretary
15th Finance Commission submits its Report for 2021-22 to 2025-26 to President Ram Nath Kovind
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission (XVFC) led by Chairman N K Singh, submitted its Report for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 to President of India Ram Nath Kovind. Members of the Commission, Ajay Narayan Jha, Anoop Singh, Dr. Ashok Lahiri and Dr. Ramesh Chand along with Secretary to the Commission Arvind Mehta accompanied the Chairman.
- As per the terms of reference (ToR), the Commission was mandated to give its recommendations for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26 by 30 October, 2020. Last year, the Commission had submitted its report containing recommendations for the year 2020-21 which was accepted by the Union Government and tabled in the Parliament on 30 January 2020.
- This Report has been organised in four volumes. Volume I and II, as in the past, contain the main report and the accompanying annexes. Volume III is devoted to the Union Government and examines key departments in greater depth, with the medium-term challenges and the roadmap ahead. Volume IV is entirely devoted to the States. The Commission has analysed the finances of each State in great depth and has come up with State-specific considerations to address the key challenges that individual States face.
- The cover and title of the Report are also unique in this Report- “Finance Commission in Covid Times” and the use of Scales on the cover to indicate the balance between the States and the Union.
About Fifteenth Finance Commission:
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV-FC or 15-FC) is an Indian Finance Commission constituted in November 2017 and is to give recommendations for devolution of taxes and other fiscal matters for five fiscal years, commencing 2020-04-01.
- The commission’s chairman is Nand Kishore Singh, with its full-time members being Ajay Narayan Jha, Ashok Lahiri and Anoop Singh. In addition, the commission also has a part-time member in Ramesh Chand.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Guadalajara named World Book Capital 2022
- Guadalajara (Mexico) was named World Book Capital for the year 2022 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, on the recommendation of the World Book Capital Advisory Committee.
- The city, already a UNESCO Creative City since 2017, was selected for its comprehensive plan for policies around the book to trigger social change, combat violence and build a culture of peace.
- Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading and to organize activities over the year. As the twenty-second city to bear the title since 2001, Guadalajara follows Tbilisi (2021) Kuala Lumpur (2020). Past winners include Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Anvers (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam(2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Erevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017), Athens (2018), Sharjah, (2019).
- The application of the city of Guadalajara was accepted by an Advisory Committee, comprising representatives of the International Publisher’s Association (IPA), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the International Authors Forum (IAF) and UNESCO.
About UNESCO:
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Head: Audrey Azoulay
- Founded: 16 November 1945
Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari releases special anthology on Mahatma Gandhi
- Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has released a special anthology on Mahatma Gandhi- ‘My understanding about Gandhi’ – during a ceremony at Kathmandu in the presence of Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
- The book has been brought out by the Embassy of India along with the BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation to cherish the values of the Mahatma’s universal teachings with Nepali friends.
- Indian Embassy stated that the publication hopes to bring the youth of Nepal closer to Mahatma Gandhi, whose life and ideals remain timeless, universal and relevant for today’s world.
- The pictorial anthology in Nepalese has been released to celebrate 151st Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and to mark the culmination of the two years long celebrations of ‘150 years of Mahatma’.
About Nepal:
- Capital: Kathmandu
- Prime minister: K. P. Sharma Oli
- President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
- Currency: Nepalese rupee
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
Bharti AXA General Insurance launches cancer awareness drive on social media
