Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 16 March 2022

::NATIONAL::

India Cooling Action Plan

India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) was launched in 2019, by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
ICAP provides a 20-year perspective and outlines actions needed to provide access to sustainable cooling.

About:

To provides an integrated vision towards cooling across sectors encompassing, inter alia, reduction of cooling demand, refrigerant transition, enhancing energy efficiency and better technology options by 2037-38.
Steps have been takento implement the ICAP:
Towards promoting passive cooling in buildings, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has brought out the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) for all large commercial (non-residential) buildings and Eco-Niwas Samhita (ECBC-R) for the residential buildings.
Studies on promoting non-Ozone Depleting Substances (ODSs) and low Global Warming Potential based technologies in Cold Chain, Building sector and Public Procurement have been undertaken and reports have been published.
Up-skilling and certification of Refrigeration and Air-conditioning (RAC) service technicians has been undertaken under the national skill qualification framework (NSQF) of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

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Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd and International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT) are conducting a Pilot Project to study and evaluate the world’s most advanced Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Toyota Mirai which runs on hydrogen, on Indian roads and climatic conditions.

About:

This is a first of its kind project in India which aims to create a Green Hydrogen based ecosystem in the country by creating awareness about the unique utility of Green Hydrogen and FCEV technology.
Toyota Mirai is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell battery pack, and is capable of providing a range of up to 600 km in a single full charge. The Hydrogen breaks down into electricity which powers the sedan, and the only residue is water that comes out of the Mirai’s tail pipe.
The pilot project aims to provide hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles for commercial purposes in the country.
This is a first of its kind project in the country aimed at spreading awareness about Hydrogen, FCEV technology and disseminating its benefits to support hydrogen-based society for India.
The pilot project will help the government ascertain the reliability of hydrogen fuel cell powered EVs in the country, and also if they can be used as a substitute to petrol and diesel vehicles along with regular battery-powered electric vehicles.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

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Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

India acknowledged the role of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Ukraine crisis urged the organisation.

About:

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is emerged from the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE).
Established in 1975, the headquarter is located in Vienna, Austria.
CSCE was created to serve as a multilateral forum for dialogue between East and West.
It has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic andenvironmental, and human aspects.
The organisation comprises 57 participating States across three continents - North America, Europe and Asia.

MH17 crash

Australia and the Netherlands will launch a new legal case against Moscow over its alleged role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that crashed in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region in 2014, when Crimea was annexed by Russian forces.

About:

All 298 passengers and crew on board were killed when the plane crashed on 17 July 2014, after it was hit by a missile, alleged to be Russian. The plane was flying between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur and was over eastern Ukraine when it got hit by a missile.
There were 38 Australian nationals, 196 Dutch nationals, 43 Malaysians on board.
Russia and the Netherlands have initiated legal proceedings before the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) under Article 84 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

Chicago Convention:

The Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, established the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized agency of the UN charged with coordinating international air travel.

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:ECONOMY::

Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans Directions, 2022

The Reserve Bank of India published Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans Directions, 2022 which shall come into force from 1st April 2022.

About:

The provisions of these directions shall apply to the following Regulating Entities (RE):

1.   All Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks, Local Area Banks, and Regional Rural Banks) excluding Payments Banks
2.   All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks/ State Co-operative Banks/ District Central Co-operative Banks; and to
3.   All Non-Banking Financial Companies (including Microfinance Institutions and Housing Finance Companies).
Key highlights:

Microfinance institutions have freedom toset interest rates, but the rates should not be unreasonably high.
Minimum requirement of microfinanceloans for NBFC-MFIs stands revised to 75% of the total assets.
Each RE has to put in place aboard-approved policy regarding thepricing of microfinance loans.
Interest rates and other charges/ fees onmicrofinance loans shall have supervisoryscrutiny by RBI.
No pre-payment penalty on microfinanceloans. Penalty for delayed payment shall beapplied on the overdue amount and not onentire loan amount.

::SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY::

Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care

Scientists in the United Kingdom as part of a research project, GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care), have identified 16 new genetic variants that make a person more susceptible to a severe COVID-19 infection.

What is the Gen OMICC study?

The GenOMICC— reportedly the largest of its kind — is a research study that brings together clinicians and scientists from around the world to find the genetic factors that lead to determine the outcome in critical illnesses.
The scientists involved compare the DNA of critically-ill patients with members of the general population. However, ferreting out such differences requires a large number of people and comparing their genetic structures at multiple levels of resolution.

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