Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 02 October 2021

::NATIONAL::

The Supreme Court directed the Centre to issue instructions at the earliest and not later than four months for giving reservation in promotions to persons with disabilities.

About:

The order was passed on a plea filed by the central government seeking clarification with respect to its judgment in which it was declared that persons with disabilities have right to reservation in promotions.
Section 34 of the 2016 Act for implementing reservation in promotions for persons with disabilities. There are 21 types of disabilities have been covered under the Act.
The reservation in promotion shall be in accordance with such instructions as are issued by the appropriate Government from time to time.
Earlier, in Siddaraju v. State of Karnataka, January 2020 judgment SC had confirmed that PwDs have a right to reservation in promotions as well, and notjust in recruitment.
However, this was not implemented by Centre.
Centre had sought clarification regarding computation of vacancies.

About Tropical cyclones:

It is a rapid rotating storm originating over tropical oceans from where it draws the energy to develop.
It has a low pressure centre and clouds spiralling towards eyewall surrounding the eye, central part of the system where weather is normally calm and free of clouds.

Favourable conditions:

Union Minister virtually addressing the high level session on IMO-Norway Green Voyage 2050 Project. He said, 50% of port equipment will be electrified by 2030.

About:

The project was launched in May 2019. It is a partnership project between Norway and International MaritimeOrganisation (IMO).
Aim is to transform the shipping industry towards a lower carbon future.
It is supporting developing countries in meeting their commitment towards relevant climate change and energy efficiency goals, for international shipping,India has been selected as the first country under this project for conduct of a pilot project related to Green Shipping.
The ports have also aimed to reduce Carbon emissions per ton of cargo handled by 30% by 2030.

India underlined the need for the international community to pay closer attention to the “illicit proliferation” of networks of nuclear weapons, their delivery systems, components and relevant technologies, in an apparent reference to Pakistan and China.

About:

Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons, nuclear technology, fissionable material and nuclear weapons-making information to the countries that do not possess these.

Major reasons for illicit nuclear trafficking and nuclear terrorism are:

The release of a considerable number of weapons-grade nuclear materials resulting from the global process of nuclear arms reduction.
The growing number, influence and increasing financial capabilities of non-State actors in international relations, such as terrorist groups, transnational organized crime groups etc.

Steps taken by India:

India had participated in the negotiations of the draft Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in the Conference on Disarmament.
India would continue to work in the framework of the Disarmament Triad comprising the Conference on Disarmament, to strengthen the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture.
India has also contributed to the GGE on Nuclear Disarmament Verification through its membership of the earlier and the current Group of Governmental Experts which will meet later this year in Geneva.

New online system of MSME/Udyam Registration as more than 50 lakh MSMEs have successfully registered themselves by now. These include over 47 lakh Micro organisations and 2.7 lakh Small Units.

About:

Udyam portal was launched after Ministry of MSME notified a composite criteria consisting of both investment and turnover as criteria for classifying enterprises as MSME with effect fromJuly, 2020.
It will assist the government in aggregating data on number of MSMEs in the country.

Features:

Registration is paperless, based on self- declaration and removes the need for renewal ofRegistration.
Help MSMEs in availing the benefits of government schemes for MSMEs such as CreditGuarantee Scheme, Public Procurement Policy and to becomes eligible for priority sector lending from Banks.

The Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) located at Hanle near Leh in Ladakh is becoming one of the promising observatory sites globally.

About the study:

This is due to its advantages of more clear nights, minimal light pollution, background aerosol concentration, extremely dry atmospheric condition, and uninterrupted by monsoon.
They found that Paranal, located in a high-altitude desert in Chile, to be the best site in terms of clear skies with around 87% of clear nights in a year.
IAO-Hanle, and Ali observatories, which are located around 80 km from each other, are similar to each other in terms of clear night skies.
They found that Devasthal has a slightly larger number of clear nights compared to the other sites in the sub-continent but are affected by monsoons for about three months in a year.
Night observations at IAO-Hanle from 2m-Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) are possible throughout the year without any interruption due to monsoons.