Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 04 August 2020

::NATIONAL::

Government formulates draft defence production and export policy

Defence Ministry has formulated a draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 (DPEPP-2020).The policy aims to provide impetus to self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme.
The DPEPP-2020 is envisaged as overarching guiding document of Defence Ministry to provide a focused, structured and significant thrust to defence production capabilities of the country for self-reliance and exports.
First and foremost amongst all is to achieve a turnover of Rs. 1 lakh 75 thousand Crore including an export of Rs. 35 thousand Crore in the Aerospace and Defence goods and services by the year 2025.
Developing a dynamic, robust and competitive Defence industry, including Aerospace and Naval Shipbuilding industry to cater to the needs of Armed forces with quality products has also been clearly laid out in the new draft policy.
The ministry has also laid emphasis on reducing dependence on imports and taking forward the Make in India initiatives through domestic designs.
Efforts will be made to create an environment that encourages Research and Development, rewards innovation, creates Indian IP ownership and promotes a robust and self-reliant defence industry.

Survey finds MGNREGA running out of funds

One-third of the way through the financial year, government data show that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme has used up almost half its allocated funds, spending more than ₹48,500 crore out of the expanded ₹1 lakh croreallocation announced following the COVID-19 outbreak.
“The Gram Panchayats’ shelf of projects will likely end by August 2020. Therefore, a quick process of creating further sets of projects is urgently needed. In several Gram Panchayats, the approved projects have already been exhausted,” said the APF study, based on ground reports from partner organisations.
“Despite kharif operations, the demand for work is still very high; but workers in several States have been given the impression that MGNREGA work is suspended during the monsoon season,” said the report.

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::ECONOMY::

Manufacturing sector witnesses fourth month of contraction

India’s manufacturing sector activity contracted at a slightly faster pace in July as demand conditions remained subdued amid prolonged closures, following which firms reduced both staff numbers as well as purchasing activity, a monthly survey showed on Monday.
The headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 46 in July, down from 47.2 in June.
This is the fourth straight month of contraction for the Indian manufacturing sector. In April, the index had slipped into contraction mode, after remaining in growth territory for 32 consecutive months. In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.
Deteriorating demand conditions led manufacturers to continue cutting staff numbers during July.
On the cost front, manufacturers reported another decrease in input prices, IHS Markit said, adding that subdued demand for most goods more than offset the inflationary effects of shortages in some raw materials.
However, despite the ongoing negative impact of COVID-19, sentiment towards future activity improved for the second month running.

Government clarifies on FDI in commercial mining

Government has clarified that any FDI in the commercial coal mining should also comply with the recent amendments made in the applicable laws.
Recently, the government modified its FDI policy according to which any entity of a country, which shares land border with India or where the beneficial owner of an investment into India is situated in or is a citizen of any such country, could invest only under the Government route.
The new policy further states that a citizen of Pakistan or an entity incorporated in Pakistan can invest, only under the Government route, in sectors and activities other than defence, space and atomic energy.
Even for the sectors which are prohibited for foreign investment, Government route has been made mandatory for all such entities.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

China suspends extradition treaty with Newzealand

China suspended Hong Kong’s extradition treaty with New Zealand on Monday amid a row with Western nations protesting against a tough new security law that Beijing imposed on the city.
New Zealand is the latest to join a string of Western powers — including Canada, Britain, Australia and Germany — that have suspended extradition treaties with Hong Kong since the controversial law was introduced in late June.
China has already hit back by suspending Hong Kong’s extradition treaties with Canada, Britain and Australia. “New Zealand’s practices... grossly interfere in China’s internal affairs,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said, announcing Beijing’s decision to suspend any judicial cooperation with Wellington. New Zealand has also tightened restrictions on military and dual-use exports to Hong Kong.
Its latest travel advice to Kiwi citizens in the territory said the security law had led to an increased risk of arrest for activities such as protests, with the possibility of being removed to mainland China to face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The United States has decided to rescind Hong Kong’s special trading privileges after the new law was enacted.

Russia aims to launch mass production of COVID vaccine from next month

Russia said Monday that it aims to launch mass production of a COVID-19 vaccine next month and turn out “several million” doses per month by next year.
The country is pushing ahead with several vaccine prototypes and one trialled by the Gamaleya institute in Moscow has reached advanced stages of development and is about to pass state registration, officials said. “We are very much counting on starting mass production in September,” Industry Minister Denis Manturov said in an interview published by state news agency TASS.
Another vaccine, developed by Siberia-based Vektor lab, is currently undergoing clinical trials and two more will begin human testing within the next two months, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Saturday. Gamaleya’s vaccine is a so-called viral vector vaccine, meaning it employs another virus to carry the DNA encoding the needed immune response into cells.

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Government hails performance of Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) in ensuring essential immunization services

Government today said that Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) has ensured essential immunization services during the COVID pandemic.Union Health Ministry said, eVIN is an innovative technological solution aimed at strengthening immunization supply chain systems across the country.
This is being implemented under National Health Mission by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.It aims to provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and flows, and storage temperatures across all cold chain points in the country.
This system has been used with the requisite customization during the COVID pandemic for ensuring continuation of the essential immunization services and protecting the children and pregnant mothers against vaccine preventable diseases.
The Ministry said, eVIN has reached 32 States and Union Territories and will soon be rolled-out in the remaining States and UTs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Ladakh and Sikkim.
At present, 23 thousand 507 cold chain points across 585 districts of 22 States and two UTs routinely use the eVIN technology for efficient vaccine logistics management. Vaccine availability at all times has increased to 99 per cent in most health centers.

::SPORTS::

Indian women’s squash team pulls out of world championships

India has withdrawn from the women’s world team championship scheduled in Kuala Lumpur from December 15 to 20, citing “lack of preparation, time and match-readiness” of its players, according to a press release from the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) here on Monday.
Meanwhile, practice resumed on Monday at the Indian Squash Academy here for the elite athletes with SOPs as laid out by the TN government and SDATN.
JoshnaChinappa, VelavanSenthilkumar, Abhay Singh and a few others trained for nearly one and half hours.

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