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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 17 December 2020

::NATIONAL::

Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme

Extending support to J&K and Ladakh students, AICTE has decided to release the instalment of Rs. 20,000/- as maintenance allowance under Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS). The decision has been taken to support & empower students for completing their online studies.
Under the PMSSS Scheme, the youths of J&K and Ladakh are supported by way of scholarship in two parts namely the academic fee & maintenance allowance.
AICTE has already released the entire academic fee for the year 2020-21 to all the institutions. The maintenance allowance had been fully released as per scheme guidelines till the end of last academic year 2019-20.
Subsequently due to COVID-19, the academic institutions across India were closed and only online classes are going on. Since there is no hostel & mess expenditure involved, the maintenance allowance was suspended, till such time students physically join the institutes.

Background:

An Expert Group was constituted by the Prime Minister for enhancing employment opportunity among youths of J&K and Ladakh and formulate job opportunities in public and private sectors.
Subsequently, Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) is being implemented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi.
The Scheme aims to build the capacities of the youths of J&K and Ladakh by Educating, Enabling and Empowering them to compete in the normal course.

India drops two ranks in Human Development Index

India dropped two ranks in the United Nations’Human Development Index this year, standing at 131 out of 189 countries.
However, if the Index were adjusted to assess the planetary pressures caused by each nation’s development, India would move up eight places in the ranking, according to the report.

About:

For the first time, the United Nations Development Programme introduced a new metric to reflect the impact caused by each country’s per-capita carbon emissions and its material footprint, which measures the amount of fossil fuels, metals and other resources used to make the goods and services it consumes.
The HDI itself is an assessment of a nation’s health, education and standards of living. Although this year’s report covers 2019 only, and does not account for the impact of COVID, it projected that in 2020, global HDI would fall below for the first time in the three decades since the Index was introduced.
According to the report published by the United Nations Development Programme on December 15, India’s gross national income per capita fell to $6,681 in 2019 from $6,829 in 2018 on purchasing power parity (PPP) basis.
Purchasing power parity or PPP is a measurement of prices in different countries that uses the prices of specific goods to compare the absolute purchasing power of the countries’ currencies.
The report said evidence from Colombia to India indicates that financial security and ownership of land improve women’s security and reduce the risk of gender-based violence, clearly indicating that owning land can empower women.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

US Sanctions Turkey on S-400, Cautions India, Others on Buying Russian Arms

United States imposing sanctions on Turkey for buying the Russian-made S400 Triumf anti-missile system.
The US has reiterated its warning to India and other countries about acquiring equipment from Russia.
India signed a deal valued at $5.43 billion in 2018 for five units of the S-400 anti-missile system defying the US.
US has repeatedly tried to dissuade India from by the Russian system, while dangling the threat of sanctions under CAATSA and the incentive of an alternative anti-missile system.
The US has refused to give a blanket exemption for India from the CAATSA, but it has continued selling arms to India.

What is the S-400 air defence missile system?

The S-400 Triumf, (NATO calls it SA-21 Growler), is a mobile, surface-to-air missile system (SAM) designed by Russia.
It is the most dangerous operationally deployed modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM) in the world, considered much ahead of the US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).
The system can engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV and ballistic and cruise missiles within the range of 400km, at an altitude of up to 30km.
The system can track 100 airborne targets and engage six of them simultaneously.

Why does India need it?

It represents the fourth generation of long-range Russian SAMs, and the successor to the S-200 and S-300. The S-400’s mission set and capabilities are roughly comparable to the famed US Patriot system.
The S-400 Triumf air defence system integrates a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre. It is capable of firing three types of missiles to create a layered defence.
The S-400 is two-times more effective than previous Russian air defence systems and can be deployed within five minutes. It can also be integrated into the existing and future air defence units of the Air Force, Army, and the Navy.
The first S-400 systems became operational in 2007 and is responsible for defending Moscow. It has been deployed in Syria in 2015, to guard Russian and Syrian naval and air assets. Russia has also stationed S-400 units in Crimea to strengthen Russia’s position on the recently annexed peninsula.

Mamallapuram

Mamallapuramor Mahabalipuram is known as a historic city and UNESCO World Heritage site is situated in the state of Tamil Nadu.
It was one of the major port cities by the 7th century within the Pallava kingdom and was the second capitalofthe Pallavas.
King Narasimha Varman 1 gave the title Mamalla which means ‘the great wrestler’.
Architectural heritage of Mamallapuram: Shore Temple; Descent of the Ganges/Arjuna’s penance; PanchaRatha, Varaha Cave etc.

Economy

12th Green Rating forIntegrated HabitatAssessment (GRIHA)Summit

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu virtually inaugurated the 12th GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) Summit, organised by the GRIHA Council from Hyderabad.
The Theme ofthe 12th GRIHA Virtual Summit isRejuvenating Resilient Habitats.
GRIHA is the national rating system of India for any completed construction on the building’senvironmental performance (like energy consumption, waste generation, renewable energy adoption, among other points).
GRIHA rating has been acknowledged as the tool to evaluate reduction in emission intensity throughhabitats, as part of mitigation strategy for combating climate change in India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
It was developed by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

Science and Technology

Anti-microbial chemicalTridosan

IIT Hyderabad Bio Researchers reveal neurotoxic nature of Triclosan an antimicrobial chemical used in soaps and dental care products.
It is found that tridosan can cause neurotoxic effects and damage the neurons.
Tridosan is used as antimicrobial chemicals to increase the shelf life of consumer products.
It is added to personal care products, such as hand soaps and cosmetics, and materials ranging from athleticclothing to food packaging.
US Food and Drug Administration have imposed a partial ban on its use. However, India lacks any such regulationso far on the use of triclosan-based products.

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Sports

2030 Asian Games will be hosted by Qatar

The 2030 Asian Games were awarded to Doha on Wednesday and the 2034 event went to Riyadh after a deal was struck between the rival nations.
The Qatari capital of Doha beat Saudi Arabian counterpart Riyadh for the 2030 Games in the vote at the Olympic Council of Asia's general assembly.
The vote took place amid a bitter and long-running political dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Saudi Arabia is one of four countries which has imposed a trade and travel boycott on Qatar since 2017, though there have recently been indications the dispute could be resolved.
The OCA reached a deal to vote on the 2030 host but to give the other candidate the 2034 event.