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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 27 August 2020

::NATIONAL::

SC seeks clarification from centre on interest waiver during moratorium

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took note of the Centre's alleged inaction and asked it to clarify its stand within a week on the waiver of interest on interest for deferred payments of instalments for loans during the moratorium period announced due to the coronavirus lockdown.
A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said the Centre had not made its stand clear on the issue despite the fact that ample powers were available with it under the Disaster Management Act and was "hiding behind the RBI".
The top court had earlier said there was "no merit in charging interest on interest" for deferred loan payment installments during the moratorium period announced in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 4, the top court had sought the Finance Ministry's reply on the waiver of interest on loans during the moratorium period after the RBI said it would not be prudent to go for a forced waiver of interest risking financial viability of the banks.
The top court had said there were two aspects under consideration in this matter - no interest payment on loans during the moratorium period and no interest to be charged on interest.

DOPPW integrates e-pension payment order with digilocker

The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, DoPPW has decided to integrate the electronic Pension Payment Order, e-PPO generated through PFMS application of Controller General of Accounts, with Digi Locker, to enhance Ease of Living of Central Government Civil Pensioners.
This system will enable any Pensioner to obtain an instant print-out of the latest copy of their PPO, from their Digi Locker account.
This initiative will create a permanent record of their PPO in their Digi Locker and at the same time eliminate delays in reaching the PPO to new Pensioners, as well as the necessity of handing over a physical copy.
This was a target set to be accomplished for Civil Ministries by 2021-22, which the Department completed ahead of time in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said, it has come to the notice of the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare that several Pensioners, over a period of time, misplace the original copies of their PPO which is a very important original document.
In the absence of their PPO, these pensioners have to face innumerable hardship at various stages of their retired life.For newly retiring officials, in view of the widespread Covid-19 pandemic, it was a dilemma to physically receive hard copies of the PPO.

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::ECONOMY::

NITI Aayog releases Export Preparedness Index

NITI Aayog today released the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020. EPI intends to identify challenges and opportunities; enhance the effectiveness of government policies and encourage a facilitative regulatory framework.
The structure of the EPI includes four pillars which are Policy, Business Ecosystem, Export Ecosystem and Export Performance.
It also includes 11 sub-pillars like Export Promotion Policy, Institutional Framework, Business Environment, Infrastructure and Transport Connectivity.
On the occasion, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar said that the Indian economy holds immense potential to become a strong exporter on the world stage.He said, to realize this vision, the Export Preparedness Index evaluates states’ potentials and capacities.
NITI Aayog, Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant said that the Export Preparedness Index is a data-driven effort to identify the core areas which are crucial for export promotion at the sub-national level.
He said, all the states and Union Territories have been assessed on crucial parameters that are critical for any typical economic unit to achieve sustainable export growth.
This edition of EPI has shown that most Indian states performed well on average across the sub-pillars of Exports Diversification, Transport Connectivity and Infrastructure.

Government brings in speedier disposal of goods imported by PSU’s

Government has announced a major initiative to allow the Public Sector Undertakings to first clear the goods imported by them through Customs and then pay Customs duty later, within 14 days.
In a statement, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, CBIC said, this measure is expected to result in speedier clearance of the goods imported by the PSUs.
It said, the scheme of deferred payment of Customs duties was first introduced in November, 2016 for importers recognized by the CBIC as Authorized Economic Operators.

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::INTERNATIONAL::

India hits out at Pakistan citing UN envoy’s UNSC meeting

India has hit out at Pakistan after Islamabad’s UN envoy claimed to have given a statement in a Security Council meeting, which is not open to non-Council members. India said that the biggest sponsor of cross-border terrorism was now trying to masquerade as a victim.
Calling Pakistan’s assertion that it had been a target of cross-border terrorism for decades a lie, India said, a lie repeated a hundred times would not become the truth.
India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said yesterday that the Pakistan Mission falsely claimed that its UN envoy MunirAkram gave a statement at a Security Council debate on Report of the Secretary General on Threats to International Peace and Security posed by Terrorism Actions.
The Security Council meeting was not open to non-members of the Council. India’s Mission to the UN said in a Twitter post that nation fails to comprehend where exactly did the Permanent Representative of Pakistan make his statement since the Security Council session was not open to non-members of the Security Council. It said the five big lies of Pakistan lies are now exposed.
On Pakistan’s UN envoy's claim that country has decimated Al-Qaeda from the region, India said that perhaps the Permanent Representative of Pakistan was not aware that Osama bin Laden was hiding in their own country in plain sight, and that it was the U.S. forces which got him inside Pakistan.

U.S blacklists Chinese firms related to construction in South China sea

The United States on Wednesday blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and targeted a number of individuals it said were part of construction and military actions related to disputed islands in the South China Sea.
The U.S. Commerce Department said the two dozen companies played a “role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarise the internationally condemned artificial islands in the South China Sea.”
The United States accuses China of militarising the South China Sea and trying to intimidate Asian neighbours who might want to exploit its extensive oil and gas reserves.
The U.S. has conducted multiple freedom of navigation operations by sending its warships through the area to assert the freedom of access to international waterways.

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::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

NASA confirms on dent in Earth’s magnetic field

The NASA Scientists have discovered a small but an evolving dent in the earth’s magnetic field. The dent has been found over South America and South Atlantic Ocean. It is an unusually weak spot and is called South Atlantic Anomaly.
The South Atlantic Anomaly allows the charged particles to dip closer to the earth’s surface than normal. This knocks out onboard computers and is capable of interfering with data collection from satellites. Thus, it is important to learn about the magnetic dent and find solutions.
The South Atlantic Anomaly arises due to two features of the Earth’s core. They are tilt of magnetic axis and the flow of molten metals within the outer core.
The Sun expels constant particles known as solar wind. When this solar material is streamed across space and strikes the Earth’s magnetosphere, the space occupied by the magnetic field of the earth can become trapped. This is held in two donut shaped belts around the planet called Van Allen Belts.

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::SPORTS::

Usain Bolt test positive for COVID

World-record sprinter and eight-time Olympic gold medalistUsain Bolt has tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating at his home in Jamaica after last week celebrating his 34th birthday with a big bash mask-free.
Jamaica’s Health Ministry confirmed yesterday that Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m and 200m distance, had tested positive.
Just to be safe I have quarantined myself and just taking it easy, Bolt said in the message that he appeared to have taped himself while lying in bed. It was posted with the caption “Stay safe myppl”.

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