Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 08 November 2022

::NATIONAL::

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) said it will continue National Bio Energy Programme till 2025-26 with a budget outlay of Rs 858 crore for the first phase.
The programme will aid the use of huge surplus biomass, cattle dung, and industrial and urban biowaste available in the country for energy recovery.

About:

The MNRE has continued the National Bioenergy Programme for 2021-22 to 2025-26. The programme was recommended for implementation in two Phases.
The National Bioenergy Programme will include the three Sub-schemes: Waste to Energy Programme, Biomass Programme and Biogas Programme.
The Waste to Energy Programme (Programme on Energy from Urban, Industrial and Agricultural Wastes /Residues) will support the setting up of large Biogas, BioCNG and Power plants (excluding MSW (municipal solid waste) to power projects).
Biomass Programme (Scheme to Support Manufacturing of Briquettes & Pellets and Promotion of Biomass (non-bagasse) based cogeneration in Industries) will support the setting up of pellets and briquettes for use in power generation and non-bagasse-based power generation projects.
The biogas programme will also support the setting up of family and medium size Biogas in rural areas.
The MNRE has been promoting bioenergy in India since the 1980s to utilise huge surplus biomass, cattle dung, and industrial and urban biowaste available in the country for the recovery of energy.

Retired High Court Chief Justice Rituraj Awasthi has been appointed as the chairperson of the Law commission recently.

About:

The appointment comes after more than two years after the 22nd Law Commission was notified on February 24, 2020.
Status: Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body and is constituted by a notification of the Government of India.
Tenure: The tenure of Law Commission is for three years.

Background:

The Charter Act 1833 which was enacted by the British Parliament provided for the establishment of a Law Commission for consolidation and codification of Indian Laws.
In 1835, Lord Macaulay was appointed as Chairman of the First Law Commission.

Prime Minister will unveil the logo, theme and website of India’s G20 Presidency on 8th November 2022.

About:

India will assume G20 Presidency from 1st December, 2022.
The G20 Presidency offers a unique opportunity to India to contribute to the global agenda on pressing issues of international importance.
The logo, theme and website of our G20 Presidency would reflect India’s message and overarching priorities to the world.
G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation representing around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
During the course of its G20 Presidency, India will be holding about 200 meetings in 32 different sectors in multiple locations across India.
The G20 Summit to be held next year, would be one of the highest profile international gatherings to be hosted by India.

About:

Lake Victoria, also known as VictoriaNyanza, is the world’s largest tropical lakeand the largest lake of Africa (by area).
It is the world's second-largestfreshwater lake by surface area (68,800km2) after Lake Superior in NorthAmerica.
It is bordered by Tanzania, Uganda andKenya while its catchment area includesRwanda and Burundi as well.
Inflow: It is fed by the River Kagera, Katonga, Sio, Yala, Nyando, SonduMiriu, and Mara.
Outflow: White Nile River.

Threats to its Ecology:

According to the World Gold Council, central banks across the globe are on a goldbuying spree purchasing record levels of Gold in the third quarter of 2022.
Reserve Bank of India was the third largest among the known buyers in Q3 of2022 as it added 17.5 tonnes to the reserves.

Reasons for the trend:

Economic Uncertainty: Under prevailing high inflationary pressure and globalgrowth uncertainties gold can be used as a tool to hedge against inflation withno risk of default.
Historically Gold has always been a critical component of a country’s reserves.
Due to appreciation of dollar its weightage in the country’s overall reserveswould have gone up.
Gold could rebalance the reserves to their preferred strategic level.
Central banks of authoritarian governments relying on gold to counter thehegemony of US and Western Europe.

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The eclipse is visible from all places of India at the time of Moonrise.
Lunar Eclipse occurs on a full moon day when the earth comes in between the Sun and the Moon and when all the three objects are aligned.
A total lunar eclipse will occur when the whole moon comes under the umbral shadow of the Earth and the partial lunar eclipse occurs when only when a part of the moon comes under shadow of the Earth.

In a first-of-its-kind bid to showcase the heritage of tribal communities, especially those of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) has recreated the huts of several communities at its different regional centres.

About:

Andaman and Nicobar Islands which have originally been the abode of six aboriginal tribes i.e., the Andamanese, Onges, Jarawas, Sentinelese, Nicobarese and Shompens.
Except Nicobarese, the rest of the 05 tribes are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). The tribes of the Islands belong to two different races.
The Andamanese, Jarawas, Ongesand the Sentinelese living in the Andaman group of islands belong to the Negrito group while the Nicobarese and Shompens, living in Nicobar Islands belong to the Mongoloid group.
The tribes in the two regions have shown a marked difference in racial, linguistic and cultural terms as also the way of life adapted by them over the centuries.