Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 01 October 2018

::NATIONAL::

Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GDPD) launched

The People’s Plan Campaign will be rolled out as ‘SabkiYojnaSabkaVikas’from 2nd October to 31st December 2018. During the campaign ,structured Gram Sabha meetings will be held for preparing Gram Panchayat Development Plan for the next financial year 2019-2020.
Monitoring of People’s Plan Campaign would involve geotagged visuals of GS meetings,report of facilitators in standard format, Planplus uploading of GDPD for all 29 sectors,visit to Gram Sabhas for every district /state /central level official of concerned departments and NLM(national level monitors) visits to random Gram Sabhas.
The campaign is being undertaken on a large scale, given the number of Gram Panchayats in the country. Special efforts have been made to ensure maximum participation of vulnerable sections of society like SC/ST/Women etc.
Panchayats have a significant role to play in effective and efficient implementation of flagship schemes for transformation of rural India. The GDPD will be an intensive and structured exercise for planning at Gram Sabha level through convergence between Panchayati Raj institutions and concerned departments of the State.
As part of this Campaign, it is also proposed to complete the exercise of Mission Antodaya (MA) data collection in respect of all Gram Panchayats.
In view of the large scale of the campaign, a special social media campaign has been launched for this period to ensure outreach to the community. This will consist of information about the Panchayats and about the Gram Panchayat Development Plan.

Gram Sabhas to inform farmers about the enrolment under PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojna

Gram Sabhas across the country have been asked to inform the farmers about the enrolment and benefits of PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojan (PMFBY) at the beginning of the Rabi Season today. The Gram Sabhas will also inform the farmers on how they can insure their crops under the Scheme.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has requested the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the State Governments to include this as an agenda in the upcoming Gram Sabhas, especially for the one scheduled on 2nd October 2018, in connection with Gandhi Jayanti.
This is also the first season for PMFBY with its revised operational guidelines in place. The Govt expects the companies to reduce premium rates, especially as the general cut-off date for enrolment has been advanced by 15 days for both seasons. As per the revised operational guidelines, the farmers get 72 hours to intimate individual claims against the existing 48 hours. This can be done through any of the channels provided under the Scheme and directly on the portal of PMFBY.
In case of any grievance, the farmers can access dedicated grievance redressal authorities. Revised operational guidelines provide for appointment of District Level Grievance Redressal Officer and creation of State and District Grievance Redressal Cells for fast redressal of grievances.
Non-loanee farmers can approach designated Common Service Centres, banks and insurance agents for insuring their crops or directly enrol on the portal. Those farmers who avail short term crop loans from formal financial institutions at concessional rates of interest are automatically covered under the Scheme.

::ECONOMY::

Assocham claims U.S growth & rupee fall will boost exports

India’s exports hold a promising outlook with the U.S. economy growing at its best in four years, coupled with the rupee depreciation leading to enhanced net revenue realisations, according to a report by Assocham.
The U.S. emerged as the top export destination for India, with $47.9 billion worth of shipments in the last fiscal ended March, followed by the UAE and Hong Kong, Commerce Ministry data showed.
The U.S. economic growth accelerated by 4.2% in the second quarter of this year, its fastest pace in about four years despite the ongoing tariff war with China.The U.S. accounted for about 16% of India’s total merchandise exports of $303 billion in the fiscal 2017-18 with the annual growth of 13.42%, the report said.
It is the largest market for Indian exports, both for merchandise and services. So, when the U.S. grows at its current pace, it augurs very well for the total Indian exports’ basket, it added.
A sharp drop in rupee may have caused a burden on the country’s import bill, but the net realisations for exporters have increased significantly.
According to the trade data for August 2018, while exports have shown a growth of about 19% in dollar terms, the rupee realisations for the export shipments went up close to 30%.With further streamlining of exporters’ GST refunds, their competitiveness should also improve, helping them in the global market, Assocham said.

World class educational institute, to be set up by the assistance of the Ministry of Minority Affairs

While laying foundation stone of first world class educational institute being established with the assistance of the Ministry 0f Minority Affairs, at Kohrapipli village in Kishangarh Bas of Alwar district in Rajasthan, ShriNaqvi said that Prime Minister ShriNarendraModi has worked with commitment to “Inclusive Growth” without any discrimination and he did not allow “vote bank politics” to dominate the government’s “Determination for Development.
The Minister said that it was a tough challenge to kill the “termites of corruption” and remove the “stains of failures”, received as “legacy” from the earlier regime at the Centre. But Prime Minister ShriNarendraModi has been successful in fulfilling his commitment for the development of all sections of the society.
World class skill development centre, educational facilities for primary and higher studies, Ayurveda and Unani science and sports facilities will be established here. The Ministry has proposed 40 per cent reservation for girls in this institution. A three-member committee of the Ministry’s officials and members of Maulana Azad Education Foundation has been constituted to chalk out the entire process of this institute.
ShriNaqvi said that Ministry of Minority Affairs has worked with commitment to “3E- Education, Employment & Empowerment”. In the last about one year, thousands of educational institutions of Minority communities including Madarsas, have been included in the mainstream education system by connecting them with "3T-Teacher, Tiffin, Toilet".
Keeping in mind the educational empowerment and employment oriented skill development of Minorities especially girls, the Government, is providing school, college, polytechnic, girls hostel, ITI, skill development centre etc under “PradhanMantri Jan VikasKarykram” (PMJVK) in those “backward and ignored” areas which had been deprived of these facilities since the Independence.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Pak helicopter violates airspace norms

The Army on Sunday said the troops manning the Line of Control (LoC) in the PirPanjal Valley’s Poonch district opened fire at a Pakistani helicopter, which was carrying Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Prime Minister Raja FarooqHaider, after it violated the airspace agreement signed by the two countries.
“The air violation was noted around 12.10 p.m. and committed by a Pakistani helicopter in the Poonch sector. It was a white helicopter and was flying very high. The air sentries at the forward location engaged it with small arms,” said the Jammu-based defence spokesman Lt. Col. DevendraAnand.
An aide of Mr.Haider was quoted by Pakistani media as saying that he was flying to Haveli on that side of the LoC for a condolence meeting at the house of PoK Minister Choudhary Aziz on his brother’s demise.
“Infiltration attempt by militants and ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army in the Tangdhar sector was reported on Saturday evening. Our forces retaliated strongly and foiled the infiltration bid under covering fire by Pakistan Army. No damage, injury or casualty on our side,” said the Srinagar-based Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia.
Meanwhile, Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh arrived in the Kashmir Valley on Sunday and reviewed the security situation in the wake of recent counter-terrorist operations, “which led to elimination of many militants.”

Indonesian earthquake creates havoc with increasing death tolls

The toll from an earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia soared on Sunday to 832, with authorities fearing that it will only climb as rescuers struggle to reach outlying communities cut off from communications and help.
Dozens of people were reported to be trapped in the rubble of two hotels and a mall in the city of Palu, which was hit by waves as high as six metres following the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Friday.
A woman was pulled alive from the debris of the city's RoaRoa Hotel, where up to 60 people were believed trapped. Hundreds gathered at the wrecked mall searching for loved ones.
With most of the confirmed deaths from Palu, authorities are bracing for much worse as reports filter in from outlying areas, in particular Donggala, a region of 3,00,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre of the quake.
Vice-President JusufKalla said the toll could rise into the thousands. President JokoWidodo visited a housing complex flattened by the quake.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Social media giants to help EC in cleaning up poll campaigns

Internet major Google and social media giants Twitter and Facebook have assured the Election Commission that they will not allow their platforms to be used for anything which affects the sanctity of polls during the campaign period, Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat has said.
He said this was tested during the Karnataka elections. “A small pilot was there. That was the beginning. Now we will have a bigger pilot before the LokSabha elections in the four States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram,” the CEC said.
Assembly polls are due in the four States later this year. Mr.Rawat said a committee under Senior Deputy Election Commissioner UmeshSinha had called regional and local heads of Google, Facebook and Twitter and had asked them what they can do to prevent the adverse impact of fake news and targeted communication to voters.
“They have all committed that they will not allow anything affecting the level playing field on their platforms... during the last 48 hours before the close of poll,” he said.

::SPORTS::

Vikrammalhotra wins aspin cup

India's VikramMalhotra, fought his way past third seed and world junior champion MostafaAsal of Egypt 11-3, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 to win the Aspin Cup 2018, a PSA challenger tour event at Charlottetown on Saturday.
This is Vikram's seventh PSA title overall and second this year.