Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 1 DECEMBER 2018


Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 1 DECEMBER 2018


::NATIONAL::

NITI Aayog organised development dialogue on Health system

  •  NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar has said development dialogue organised by NITI is a sign that health is at the center of the policy narrative.
  •  Addressing plenary session of dialogue on Health System for A New India: Building Blocks in New Delhi on Friday evening, Mr Kumar said there is a need to move towards breaking silos between stakeholders, remove fragmentation between various initiatives and ensure convergence between various ministries.
  •  He said, POSHAN Abhiyan and Ayushman Bharat can be viewed as innovative models for efficiently integrated health systems.During the dialogue the roll-out of the ambitious Ayushman Bharat was also hailed as a good opportunity to bring in systems thinking and de-fragmenting the various building blocks of healthcare systematically over time.
  •  Further, strengthening governance, policy and regulatory frameworks and institutions were deemed key to ensuring systemic transformation of the health sector for a new India.
  •  There was broad consensus that the development of a health system for India can lead to the growth of a healthy and globally competitive healthcare insurance.
  •  The dialogue was the first in the series of NITI Aayog’s “Development Dialogues” that aims to facilitate multi-sectoral conversations on India’s developmental issues, which constitute a part of the country’s 15 Year Vision document.

NGT demands urgent cleaning of river Ganga

  •  Underscoring the “urgent” need for cleaning the Ganga, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said the project to install sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Haridwar should be brought forward by a year.
  •  According to the compliance affidavit, work is likely to be completed by February 2020. Having regard to significance and urgency, it will be appropriate that effort is made to advance commissioning of the project to June 2019.
  •  The Bench observed: “We find that there is a communication gap with regard to orders issued by this tribunal on various issues, having application to particular States. Even though orders are placed on the website, it may be appropriate that the Central Pollution Control Board compiles a gist of important directions periodically and conveys the same to the pollution control boards or committees concerned.”
  •  The Bench said the Supreme Court had issued a series of directions on the matter, including showing of messages on environment at cinema halls, programmes on Doordarshan and the AIR, and compulsory courses on environment in schools, colleges and universities.
  •  The observations came while the green panel was hearing a plea pertaining to the cleaning of the Ganga. In July this year, the NGT had come down heavily on authorities stating that no effective steps had been taken to clean the river. A series of directions were also issued.
  •  Decentralised processing facilities have to be provided at points closest to the source of generation of solid waste near hotels, dharamshalas and ashrams, the Bench said.

::ECONOMY::

Fiscal deficit of FY18-19 exceeds budgeted target

  •  India’s fiscal deficit in the first seven months of the financial year, at Rs. 6.49 lakh crore, exceeded the budgeted target for the entire year, coming in at 103.9% of that target, according to official data released on Friday.

The fiscal deficit was 96.1% of the budgeted amount in the same period of the previous year.

  •  Eight infrastructure sectors of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers, steel, cement and electricity had grown 5% in October 2017. Fertilizer production dropped sharply by 11.5%, crude oil by 5% and natural gas by 0.9% in October over the year-ago month, the Commerce and Industry Ministry data showed.
  •  The production of coal, cement and electricity, on the other hand, expanded in the month under review. In April-October 2018-19, the eight sectors recorded a growth of 5.4% against 3.5% in the same period last year.
  •  The growth rate of refinery products declined to 1.3% in October as against 7.5% in the same month last year. Similarly, the steel sector growth too dipped to 2.2% against 8.6% in October 2017. The growth rate of eight core sectors, however, is more than the 4.3% expansion seen in September.
  •  Rating agency ICRA said the modest uptick in core sector growth in October compared to September portends a pickup in IIP growth to 6.5-7.5% in that month.

GDP calculation based on new method gives clear picture of economy : Centre

  •  Finance Minister ArunJaitley today said, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is a credible organisation and maintains arm's length distance from Finance Ministry.
  •  On Congress questioning the credibility of new GDP data, Mr Jaitley said, the new series GDP data gives a clear picture of Indian economy. He said the GDP data released by the CSO is more inclusive.
  •  The new data shows that, contrary to the earlier perception, the Indian economy never graduated to a ‘high growth’ phase of more than 9% in the last decade or so.
  •  Former Chief Statistician of India TCA Anant also pointed out that the newer data, especially for the mining and manufacturing sectors, shows that India did not recover from the global financial crisis as quickly as initially thought.
  •  According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the method for preparing the back series is largely the same as what is used to calculate the data using the new base, which is how all national accounts calculations will be made going forward.
  •  The new back series data diverges quite sharply significantly from the estimates made in a draft report released by the National Statistical Commission earlier this year, which showed that growth during the UPA years crossed 9% on at least four occasions, and even hit 10.78% in 2010-11.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India, Japan & U.S to have trilateral meeting on sidelines of G20.

  •  Prime Minister NarendraModi has appealed to the G20 Countries to make a common platform for identifying and extraditing fugitive economic offenders and deny entry and safe havens to them. Presenting a nine point agenda, he said that a strong and active cooperation was needed to deal comprehensively and efficiently with the menace of fugitive economic offenders.

  •  Mr Modi called for a joint effort by the countries to form a mechanism as immediate action was needed to implement UN Principles on Convention against transnational Organised Crime especially related to international cooperation.

  •  He said that member countries should deny entry and safe havens to all fugitive economic offenders. Mr Modi also reiterated that G20 forum should consider initiating work on locating properties of economic offenders who have a tax debt in the country of their residence for its recovery.

  •  Prime Minister underlined the need to put people first while framing economic policies since it has a direct effect on the everyday lives of the people. Mr Modi also called for a new approach towards the future of works and women empowerment.

  •  In a tweet, Prime Minister said he highlighted various flagship schemes of his government including Jan DhanYojana, MUDRA loan scheme and start up India which were undertaken to modernise economy and promote inclusive growth. Mr Modi also shared views on the need to focus on women empowerment, ways to boost economic growth and implement schemes which are aimed at furthering all round development.

India reiterates commitment to Paris climate agreement

  •  The government today said, Conference of Parties, CoP-24 is crucial for India and the country is committed to fight climate change constructively. The 24th meeting of Conference of Parties will be held in Katowice in Poland from 2nd to 14th of the next month.
  •  Talking exclusively to AIR News, Environment Secretary C K Mishra said, COP-24 meeting is significant as it is expected to finalise guidelines for implementation of Paris Agreement, which was adopted in 2016.
  •  India has been taking a leadership role in combating climate change with its constructive role in fianlising the Paris agreement. Adaptation is very important for developing countries and requires an urgent global response.
  •  India will resist attempts by countries to renegotiate the Paris Agreement, said one of India’s key negotiators at climate talks set to begin next week in Katowice, Poland.
  •  The landmark deal agreed to in 2015 exhorts countries to take steps to avoid temperatures from rising beyond 2C of pre-industrial levels, and even 1.5 C as far as possible, by the end of the century.
  •  The United States opted out of the deal last year but continues to be part of discussions as a complete withdrawal asper terms of the UN convention takes up to four years.
  •  India and China, which have committed to ensuring that their emission intensities will not cross a threshold, also argue that all countries cannot be held to the same data-monitoring-and-reporting standards.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Researchers find new antibodies to fight Zika

  •  Researchers, including one of Indian origin, have developed six Zika virus antibodies which may help diagnose as well as treat the mosquito-borne disease that has infected over 1.5 million people worldwide.
  •  The antibodies “may have the dual utility as diagnostics capable of recognising Zika virus subtypes and may be further developed to treat Zika virus infection,” said Ravi Durvasula from Loyola University in the U.S
  •  Zika is spread mainly by mosquitos. Most infected people experience no symptoms or mild symptoms such as a rash, mild fever and red eyes.
  •  Antibodies could be key to diagnosing and treating Zikavirus.An antibody is a Y-shaped protein made by the immune system. When a virus invades the body, antibodies bind to antigens associated with the bug, marking it for the immune system to destroy.

::SPORTS::

Wrestling federation rolls out new contract systems

  •  The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) today rolled out its revolutionary contracts system for the grapplers. The announcement was made by WFI President BrijBhushanSharan Singh in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi AdityaNath, who inaugurated the senior National Championship at Nandini Nagar in Gonda.
  •  The contracts will be reviewed after one year. The wrestlers have been placed in four Grades. Grade A offers financial assistance of 30 lakh rupees and includes the names of star wrestlers BajrangPunia and VineshPhogat along with PoojaDhanda.
  •  Grade B contract offers a financial assistance of 20 lakh rupees and includes two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik. The C category offers support of 10 lakh rupees and features, among others, SandeepTomar, SajanBhanwal, RituPhogat, and Asian Games bronze medallist DivyaKakran.

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