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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 11 August 2020

::NATIONAL::

PM emphasises on better coordination between states and various agencies in forecasting of floods

Prime Minister NarendraModi has emphasized on better coordination between all central and state agencies to have a permanent system for forecasting of floods and extensive use of innovative technologies for improving forecast and warning system.
Mr Modi today held a meeting with Chief Ministers of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala through video conference to review their preparedness to deal with south-west monsoon and current flood situation in the country.
He said, over the past few years, forecasting agencies like India Meteorological Department and Central Water Commission have been making concerted efforts to make better and more usable flood forecasts.They are trying to provide not only rainfall and river level forecast but also location specific forecast of inundation.
Mr Modi said, there are pilot efforts underway to also use innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence to improve location specific forecast, for which States should provide necessary information to these agencies and disseminate the warnings timely to local communities.
The Prime Minister mentioned that investment should be increased in localised early warning system so that people in a particular area can be provided with timely warning in case of any threatening situation such as breach of river embankment, inundation level and lightning.
The Prime Minister conveyed that States should ensure that all development and infrastructure projects must be built with resilience to withstand local disasters and to help in reducing consequential losses.

Health ministry lauds contribution of e-sanjeevani platform

Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan today lauded the contribution of States in popularising eSanjeevani. In a short span of time since November last year, tele-consultation by eSanjeevani and eSanjeevaniOPDhave been implemented by 23 States, which covers 75 percent of the population.
This eSanjeevani platform has enabled two types of telemedicine services - Doctor-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani) and Patient-to-Doctor (eSanjeevani OPD) Tele-consultations.
Addressing a review meeting with states and Union Territories, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, the national telemedicine service has completed more than one lakh 50 thousand tele-consultations enabling patient to doctor consultations from the confines of their home.
He said, the government has started implementing the vision of Digital India through broadband and mobile phones at the Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres.

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::ECONOMY::

RBI’s one time loan restructuring to aid small firms and retail borrowers

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) decision to allow one-time loan restructuring will help soften the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on banks’ asset quality, said Crisil Ratings.
Without this, the gross non-performing assets could have touched a two-decade high of 11.5% by the end of this fiscal, but will now likely be considerably below that level, it said.
The RBI’s relaxations under the Prudential Framework on Resolution of Stressed Assets will benefit borrowers in most categories. Besides, this is the first time the restructuring option has been extended to retail borrowers.
Micro, small and medium enterprises have also got a three-month extension in the existing restructuring scheme till March 31, 2021.
“The major beneficiaries, though, will be the sub-₹500-crore corporate exposures and retail exposures, which were earlier expected to see the highest increase in NPAs in percentage terms” Crisil Ratings said.

New online dashboard for National Infrastructure Pipeline inaugurated

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister NirmalaSitharaman inaugurated the National Infrastructure Pipeline, NIP, Online Dashboard in New Delhi today through video conferencing.
The online dashboard is envisaged as a one stop solution for all stakeholders looking for information on infrastructure projects in New India.
The dashboard is being hosted on the India Investment Grid, IIG www.indiainvestmentgrid.gov.in. IIG is an interactive and dynamic online platform that showcases d and real-time investment opportunities in the country.
Speaking at the event, Ms Sitharaman said, NIP will provide a boost to the vision of an AatmaNirbhar Bharat.
She said, the availability of NIP projects on IIG will ensure easy accessibility to d project information and attract investors for PPP projects.She added that it is a great step in the direction of implementing NIP- giving a fillip to infrastructure development in the country.
In the budget speech of 2019-2020, Ms Sitharaman announced an outlay of 100 lakh Crore rupees for infrastructure projects over the next 5 years.The Minister has asked all concerned Department and Ministries to immediately the status of projects on NIP portal and keep it d in real time.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India-Maldives sign agreement for development of eco tourism-zones

India and Maldives today signed a contract for development of five eco-tourism zones in Addu atoll of the island nation.
Maldives foreign secretary Abdul Ghafoor, MPs representing Addu city and Indian high commissioner SunjaySudhir participated in the ceremony.
These eco tourism zones are part of grant projects being implemented under the High-Impact Community Development project (HICDP) scheme which involves a total grant assistance of 5.5 million US dollars to the Maldives.
High Commissioner SunjaySudhir, in his remarks, highlighted that developing high-impact assets, building capacities within the local councils and supporting of the local island economy are most important objectives of these projects.
He recalled that contracts for the other three HICDP projects in Addu, relating to setting up of fish-processing plants, were awarded last month.
He remarked that taken together, these projects could be expected to bring about a transformation in the economic and employment landscape of Addu.

Lukashenko registers landslide victory in Belarus elections

The Opposition in Belarus rejected official election results handing President Alexander Lukashenko a landslide re-election victory on Monday, saying the poll was rigged and that talks needed to begin on a peaceful transfer of power.
Foreign observers have not judged an election to be free and fair in Belarus since 1995, and the run-up to the vote saw authorities jail Mr.Lukashenko’s rivals and open criminal investigations into others who voiced opposition.
Events are being closely watched by Russia, whose oil exports run through Belarus to the West and which has long regarded the country as a buffer zone against NATO, and the West, which has tried to lure Minsk from Moscow’s orbit.
The streets in the capital and other cities were quiet after violence on Sunday night, when riot police used force to disperse thousands of protesters who had gathered to denounce what they said was an electoral farce.

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Environment ministry launches portal on human elephant conflict

The Minister for Environment and Forest PrakashJavadekar today released document on Best Practices and launched a portal on Human Elephant Conflict on the eve of World Elephant Day, 2020.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Javadekar said, efforts are in full swing to provide food and water to the animals in the forests itself to deal with the growing human-animal conflict cases.
He said, India is committed to the cause of saving elephants and other animals and is working towards robust, practical and cost effective solutions to end the human animal conflict.
Minister of State for Environment and Forest Babul Supriyo said, it is a moment of pride that India is having 60 percent of Global population of Asian Elephants. He said, killing of innocent animals will not be tolerated by the Government.
The World Elephant Day is observed every year on 12th August to spread awareness about the animal. It was launched in 2012 to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants.
Poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are some of the threats to both African and Asian elephants.
Indian Elephant has also been listed in the Appendix I of the Convention of the Migratory species in the recently concluded 13th Conference of Parties on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) at Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat in February this year.

::SPORTS::

Former Kerala cricket captain included in ICC International Panel of Umpires.

K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan has been included in the Emirates ICC International Panel of Umpires.
“After NitinMenon was selected to the Elite Panel, there was an opening in the International Panel and I thought I had a good chance. I had umpired in some important matches last season like the Ranji Trophy final, Syed Mustaq Ali Trophy final, IPL, the ‘Test’ between India-A and England-A,” said the 50-year-old former Kerala captain.

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