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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 20 October 2020

::NATIONAL::

NITI Aayog establishes Frontier Technologies Cloud Innovation Centre

In order to address societal challenges through digital innovation, NITI Aayog today announced the establishment of a Frontier Technologies Cloud Innovation Centre, CIC with Amazon Web Services, AWS. It is the first of its kind in India.
This CIC is part of the AWS CIC Global Programme which provides an opportunity for government agencies, non-profits and educational institutions, to come together on pressing challenges, apply design thinking, test new ideas, and access the technology expertise of AWS.
Mission director said, the NITI Aayog Frontier Technologies CIC will be a great enabler to budding innovators and start-ups and help in piloting state-of-the-art, cloud-centric digital innovations by leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, IOT and robotics, blockchain.
Mr Ramanan said, It is also aligned to the Prime Minister’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, as well that of NITI Aayog and Atal Innovation Mission.
Vice President International Sales, Worldwide Public Sector of Amazon Web Services Inc. Max Peterson said, it is seeing public sector organizations around the world use cloud technology to innovate in a fast and agile manner, address problems at scale and transform public services for citizens.
He said, our Cloud Innovation Centres programme is designed to be a catalyst for innovation in public sector, by bringing together technology experts to address challenges.

Centre asks British government to exploit business potential in North east

Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) Dr Jitendra Singh has invited the British Government and the private sector for exploiting huge business potential in North Eastern Region of India.
In a virtual meeting with officials of British High Commission, Dr Singh said, India and the UK, the two vibrant democracies enjoy a mutually rewarding business relationship and can work together in exploring and exploiting new opportunities in the North Eastern Region.
He said that new paradigms will emerge post-COVID, with a potential for new breakthroughs in economy, trade, scientific research and several other diverse areas in the region and it will be a win-win proposition for both India and UK.
Dr Singh also welcomed the British Council proposal for collaboration in the Education Sector for teaching Science and Mathematics in all the 8 States of the region and anMoU will be signed soon with North Eastern Council to take the collaboration to a new high. The Council also expressed willingness to work with Universities and Tech institutes of the region, mainly IIT Guwahati.
British officials have greatly appreciated the handicrafts, fruits, vegetables and spices in the North Eastern States and expressed their willingness to brand them and sell the same in global market.

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::ECONOMY::

Finance ministry moots capital expenditure by CPSE’s critical driver of economic growth

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister NirmalaSitharaman today said that capital expenditure (CAPEX) by Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) is a critical driver of economic growth and need to be scaled up for the Financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22.
She said this while addressing a Video Conference with Secretaries of the Ministries of Petroleum & Natural Gas and ministry of Coal, along with the CMDs of 14 CPSEs belonging to these Ministries.TheMionistedr reviewed the capital expenditure of CPSEs in this financial year.
Today was the fourth in the ongoing series of meetings that the Finance Minister is having with various stakeholders to accelerate the economic growth in the background of COVID-19 pandemic.CAPEX target for 2020-21 is Rs. 1,15,934 crore.
While reviewing the performance of CPSEs,The Finance Minister asked the concerned Secretaries to closely monitor the performance of CPSEs in order to ensure the capital expenditure to the tune of 75 per cent of the capital outlay by the end of third quarter of financial year 2020-21 and make appropriate plan for it.

Agriculture ministry launches Ayushmansahakaryojana

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme today. The scheme is a unique way to assist cooperatives play an important role in creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country.
AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme has been formulated by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Mr.Tomar announced that NCDC would extend term loans to prospective cooperatives to the tune of 10 thousand crore in the coming years. He said that the ongoing pandemic has brought into focus the requirement of creation of more facilities. NCDC’s scheme will be a step towards strengthening farmers welfare activities by the Central Government.
Speaking on the occasion Managing Director of NCDC SundeepNayak said that the NCDC fund would give a boost to the healthcare services operated by the cooperatives in the country.
NCDC’s AyushmanSahakar scheme aims at bringing transformation in the health services primarily in the rural areas.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

Thailand PM recalls parliament due to pressure from protesters

Thailand’s embattled premier called on Monday for a special session of Parliament as protesters planned more rallies to demand his resignation, the release of jailed activists, and reforms to the monarchy.
Tens of thousands of mostly young protesters have taken to the streets in the past week in defiance of an emergency decree banning gatherings of more than four people.
Police said around 20,000 people protested across the capital on Sunday, although activists and local media estimated much bigger crowds.
As they prepared to rally again on Monday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Parliament — currently in recess — would be recalled to discuss how to reduce tensions.
The largely leaderless movement is calling for the resignation of Mr.Prayut — a former Army chief and mastermind of a 2014 coup — as well as the re-writing of the military-drafted Constitution they say rigged last year’s election in his favour.
They want the abolition of a draconian defamation law that shields King MahaVajiralongkorn from criticism, greater transparency of royal finances, and for the monarch to stay out of politics.

Chinese and Taiwanese officials clash at Fiji

China and Taiwan traded accusations on Monday over a violent altercation that broke out between Chinese diplomats and Taiwan government employees at a recent Taiwan National Day reception in Fiji.
Both China and Taiwan confirmed the October 8 incident but each disputed the other’s claim of what precipitated the fight, which resulted in one Taiwanese staffer being sent to a hospital with a head injury. One of the Chinese diplomats also was injured.
The confrontation, an extreme example of the tensions between the rival governments, erupted when Taiwanese at the gathering tried to stop Chinese diplomats from taking photos of guests at the reception marking Taiwan’s National Day, a Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Joanne Ou, said.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemns the Chinese Embassy in Fiji’s staff’s actions which severely violates rule of law and norms of civilized behaviour,” said Ms.Ou. She said Taiwan had made a formal protest to the Fiji government.
China’s Embassy in Fiji said in a statement released on Monday that Taiwan’s account was “inconsistent with the facts.” It said one of its staff also was injured.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

CSIR-CMERI develops sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility

A sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility has been developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI).
The facility will help to achieve decentralized decimation of solid waste.It will also help in creating value added products.The system has adopted the Bio-Digestion process as it creates minimum pollution.
The special features of the facility includes segregating wastes such as masks, diapers, sanitary napkins, etc.It also comprises disinfection capabilities that can break COVID-19 chain through Ultra Violet C radiation and by adopting hot-air convection methods.
The residue from the facility would be rich in carbon. It can be used in agriculture as fertilizer and to make bricks for construction purpose.
The primary objective of the system is to remove the burden of the segregation responsibilities by adopting advanced segregation techniques.

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::SPORTS::

Jason Kokrak wins USPGA title

World No. 53 Jason Kokrak reeled off six birdies on a seven-hole stretch on Sunday on way to winning the CJ Cup and capturing his first US PGA Tour title.
The 35-year-old American fired a final-round eight-under 64 to finish 20-under 268, two strokes ahead of compatriot XanderSchauffele. The breakthrough victory for Kokrak comes in his 233rd Tour event. Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley finished a further stroke behind.

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