Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 27 August 2019

 ::NATIONAL::

Plea in supreme court seeking establishment of RTI web portal in all states

• The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and 25 States to respond to a writ petition for a direction to establish Right to Information (RTI) web portals across all States to enable citizens, especially those living abroad, to file RTI applications online.

• The Central government established an online RTI portal whereby any Indian citizen, including Non-Residential Indians (NRIs), can apply for information under the RTI Act with the desired Ministry or Department under the Central government. An applicant can also pay the requisite fee through online payment in this portal and submit the RTI application, the petition said.

• The Centre had also requested, via a letter dated December 13, 2013, the various State governments to explore the feasibility of implementing online RTI portals. It had even offered to provide technical support for this purpose through the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to the States.

• “However, only the States of Maharashtra and Delhi have established their respective online portals for obtaining information from the departments of their respective governments,” the petition pointed out.

• It said that a person seeking information under the RTI Act of 2005 from any State department, is compelled to make a physical application. This has become difficult for NRIs.

More than 80 % decline in HIV cases in India

• The government today said that there has been more than 80 per cent decline in new HIV infection cases in the country since its peak in 1995. The global average of decline in new infection is estimated at 47 per cent.

• Talking to reporters at a function in New Delhi, Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said, National Aids Control Organization has signed anMoU with 18 Ministries and Departments to augment a comprehensive AIDS response mechanism. He said the government is committed for meeting all the set goals to eradicate HIV from the country.

• National Aids Control Organization, NACO today signed anMoU with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for prevention and control of HIV related disease. The MoU intends to create awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of drugs abuse on the individual, family, workplace and society at large.

• It aims to reduce stigmatization of and discrimination against, groups and individuals dependent on drugs in order to integrate them back into society.

• Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Rattan LalKataria said, both the Ministries will work together, to spread awareness and to reduce HIV related diseases drastically.

::ECONOMY::

BimalJalan committee recommends transfer of funds to government

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), at its board meeting on Monday, decided to transfer Rs. 1.76 lakh crore to the Centre including the interim dividend of Rs. 28,000 crore paid in February which is likely to address the precarious fiscal situation of the government to a great extent.

• The RBI had formed a committee, chaired by former Governor BimalJalan, to review its economic capital framework and suggest the quantum of excess provision to be transferred to the government. The committee was formed after a demand from the government for more money. The RBI Board has accepted all the recommendations of the Jalan committee.

• The panel recommended a clear distinction between the two components of economic capital - realized equity and revaluation balances. It was recommended that realized equity could be used for meeting all risks/ losses as they were primarily built up from retained earnings, while revaluation balances could be reckoned only as risk buffers against market risks as they represented unrealized valuation gains and hence were not distributable.

• The committee also recognised that RBI’s provisioning for monetary, financial and external stability risks is the country’s savings for a ‘rainy day’, (a monetary or financial stability crisis), which has been consciously maintained with the RBI in view of its role as the Monetary Authority and the Lender of Last Resort.

• The ‘Surplus Distribution Policy’, as recommended by the committee, says only if realized equity is above its requirement, the entire net income will be transferable to the government.

Analysts claim economic issues will take time to fade away

• Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman’s announcements pertaining to revival of the economy Friday last may have improved sentiments and might augment liquidity in the system, but it will take time for the current slowdown to fade away.

• Any further job loss is expected be curbed and consumer spend in the upcoming festive season will decide the quantum of bounce-back in the economy and the fortunes of companies affected by the slowdown.

• While analysts are unanimous about the positive impact of the announcements on the economy, they feel that revival would be a gradual process.

• Analyts expect markets to react positively to these moves and recommend investors to use these ‘turbulent times’ to build the portfolio of companies with ‘moats in their business and ability to withstand technology disruptions’.

• The government’s intention and willingness to take feedback and act promptly may offset the pessimistic market narrative, felt analysts at MototalOswal Financial Services Ltd (MOFSL).

• Though the measures announced by the FM will result in more sales of all class of vehicles, the auto sector will take time to come out of the woods.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

G7 hails India’s effort to conserve water and eliminate single use plastic

• At G7 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra highlighted India's large scale efforts towards eliminating single-use plastic, conserving water, harnessing solar energy and protecting flora and fauna for a sustainable future.

• Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted that reiterating India's commitment to tackle global challenges Prime Minister underlined India's contribution to address reducing biodiversity, climate change, water stress & ocean pollution.

• AIR correspondent reports, clouds covered the sky of Biarritz yesterday, but there is a new dawn waiting for India today which was invited as a partner country in G7 summit. Apart from getting a diplomatic win on the Kashmir issue, India also gave an idea to the world on the forum of G7 that how to fight against the natural calamities.

• In his one to one talk with UN general secretary, Antonio Guterres Prime Minister NarendraModi suggested about how the world could come together to create a pool of trained volunteers which will help the countries in case of disaster.

• He also asserted that India is moving towards the renewable and clear forms of energy and there is a strong case for India's membership of Nuclear suppliers group. Mr Guterres also said that he is willing to help India on this issue.

Trump confirms resuming talks with Chinese traders

• United States President Donald Trump today said that US and Chinese trade negotiators would very shortly resume trade talks.

• Talking to reporters at the G-7 summit in Biarritz, Trump said China called last night and stressed to make a deal over the issue.

• Trump's remarks came amidst reports of Asian stock markets tumbling today. On Friday, US President announced tariff hikes on effectively all Chinese imports to the US. It came after Beijing said it would impose fresh duties and raise tariffs on US imports into China.

• Meanwhile, the Chinese yuan weakened to a fresh 11-year low against the US dollar. The onshore yuan was around 7.15 per dollar in morning Asian trade.

• Trump later said talks with China were “more meaningful than at any time” because the United States was doing well while China was “losing millions of jobs”.

• Mr. Trump’s comments followed moves by China’s most powerful trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, to take the edge off the soaring tensions.

• “We are willing to solve the problem through consultation and cooperation with a calm attitude,” said Mr. Liu, according to a report by a Chinese news outlet.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

Study reveals higher levels of physical activity lowers risk of death in middle ages

• Higher levels of physical activity, regardless of intensity, are associated with a lower risk of early death in middle aged and older people, says a study.

• The findings, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), also show that being sedentary, for example sitting for 9.5 hours or more a day, excluding sleeping time, is associated with an increased risk of death.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week for adults aged between 18 and 64 years.

• However, these are based mainly on self-reported activity, which is often imprecise. So exactly how much activity, and at what intensity, is needed to protect health remains unclear.

• Deaths fell steeply as total volume of physical activity increased up to a plateau of about 300 minutes (five hours) per day of light-intensity physical activity or about 24 minutes per day moderate intensity physical activity.

• At these levels the risk of death was halved compared to those engaging in little or no physical activity.

• “Also, a large risk reduction was seen between the least and the second least active group suggesting that incorporating some time doing physical activity, light or moderate intensity, in daily life is associated with a big health benefit,” said Mr.Edwardson.

::SPORTS::

Indian archers shine at world championships

• India's Komalika Bari became recurve cadet world champion at the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid, Spain, today. She defeated higher-ranked SonodaWaka of Japan 7-3 in the final and earn India's second gold on the final day of the Championships.

• India also won a gold in the compound junior mixed pair event yesterday and a bronze in the compound junior men's team event on Friday.

• India concluded their campaign with two gold and one bronze medal in their last event. The 17-year-old Komalika is now India's second recurvecadet world champion (under-18) after DeepikaKumari who won the title in 2009.

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