(FREE) UPSC Current Affairs 2024 PDF

Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 28 January 2020

::NATIONAL::

Centre & Assam signs accord with Bodos to redraw territory

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Assam government and Bodo groups on Monday signed an agreement to redraw and rename the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) in Assam, currently spread over the four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri.
As per the agreement, villages dominated by Bodos that were presently outside the BTAD would be included and those with non-Bodo population would be excluded, Assam Finance Minister HimantaBiswaSarma said. Bodos living in the hills would be granted Scheduled Hill Tribe status.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who presided over the event, said the signing of the agreement would “end the 50-year-old Bodo crisis”.
The memorandum of settlement says that the criminal cases registered against members of the NDFB factions for “non-heinous” crimes shall be withdrawn by the Assam government and in cases of heinous crimes it will be reviewed.
A Special Development Package of ₹1500 crore would be given by the Centre to undertake specific projects for the development of Bodo areas, home minister added.

Supreme court seeks explanation from centre on transgender act

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Law Ministry seeking explanation from the government on the legality of clauses in the new Transgender Act that empowered a district collector to certify a person a transgender instead of the person himself, and minimal punishment for a sexual act endangering a transgender.
The petition, filed by Assam’s first transgender judge Swati BidhanBaruah, through advocate-on-record RashmiNandkumar, alleged that the Act was also violative of the fundamental right of privacy of transgenders as well as their right to life, dignity and equality.
The petition alleged that the Act instead of furthering the cause of transgenders turns the clock back on the legal regime that the top court created by recognising the marginalisation and discrimination faced by the community.
The Act treats transpersons with suspicion and several provisions of the Act evince and reinforce the very prejudice that the legislation ought to have aimed at eliminating, the plea stated.
The petitioner submitted that the Transgender (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 is wholly and irreparably in violation of the right to life with dignity of transpersons.

::ECONOMY::

Finance ministry to propose several measures in budget to promote digital payments

More than three thousand one hundred crore rupees digital payment transaction took place in the current financial year so far. Finance Ministry said, numerous measures have been proposed in the budget 2019-20 to promote digital payments further.
AIR correspondent reports that nearly 11 lakh BHIM Aadhar Pay point of sale devices are in India.
Government has taken several initiatives in the recent past for promotion of digital payment and less cash economy. Over the past three years, digital payment transactions have registered tremendous growth in India.
Presently there are more than 52 lakh physical or mobile point of sale (PoS) devices in the country. The number of monthly BHIM - UPI transactions have increased from over seven thousand 500 lakhs in June last year to over 13 thousand lakhs till December last year.
Digital transaction has brought transparency, significantly reduced corruption and improved public service delivery to benefit the poor.

Record grain production expected in 2020 along with horticulture growth

India is poised for a record foodgrain production this year following a surge in the output of wheat and rice, the two major crops of rabi or winter sowing season, according to the first estimates released by the National Collateral Management Services (NCML), a leading post-harvest management company.
Horticulture output will also be more, including tomato, potato and onion, according to the government’s first estimate. The output is estimated to go up to 313.35 million tonnes (mt) in 2019-20 from actual output of 310.74 mt last year.
Wheat production in the 2019-20 rabi season is estimated to be 109 mt, 6.27% higher than last year’s output of 102.1 mt, the NCML estimates showed. The output of rice is estimated to go up 5% from last year to around 15 mt. As a result, total foodgrainproduction is expected to increase 6.19% to 152.7 million tonnes.
According to a report released by the company on Monday, excess production of wheat and rice will build on the existing surplus and stimulate additional market distortions.
“Record domestic supplies will add to procurement and subsidy load. There is an imperative need to align the production basket to consumption needs so demand generating from growing population and changing lifestyles can be met domestically,” it said.

Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

::INTERNATIONAL::

Bhutanese delegation to visit Delhi to learn on electoral process

A Bhutanese delegation led by its Election Commissioner will visit the office of Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer on Tuesday to learn about the electoral process in India, said sources from the Delhi CEO office.
Along with learning about the functioning of the electoral process, the delegation consisting of Bhutan's Election Commissioner UgyenChewang will also be shown a presentation by officials in the presence of Delhi CEO Ranbir Singh.
As per the official source, "the presentations will be on the methodologies that are being adopted by the Chief Electoral Offices in India during State elections."
Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation Program SVEEP will be discussed elaborately.The delegation will also be visiting the poll museum here which has archived India's electoral journey from ballot boxes to the EVMs.
The Assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled to take place on February 8. The votes will be counted on February 11.

WHO escalates global risk degree of corona virus

The World Health Organization (WHO) has increased the global risk degree of the novel coronavirus strain 2019-nCoV from moderate to high, citing an error in its previous report. According to the report, the total number of 2019-nCoV confirmed cases globally till Sunday reached 2,014, including 1,985 in China.
AIR correspondent in Beijing reports that World Health Organisation Chief has arrived in Beijing yesterday to discuss ways of containing the spread of the new coronavirus, as the death toll has reached 106 with around 4000 people infected so far.
AIR correspondent reports that Indian Embassy is considering all options which includes evacuation of Indians in Wuhan. It has been urging the Indians in Wuhan to provide all their details so that all the formalities with Chinese authorities may be completed.
Hubei has suspended the services for the application of ordinary passports and exit-entry permits for Chinese persons. However, Special channels will be opened for individuals who have to leave the mainland for urgent reasons.
China govt says it is considering requests from the countries in this regard. Chinese officils say that Wuhan residents have sufficient daily necessities supply including meat, eggs, vegetables and local govt has allocated 6,000 taxis and car-hailing services to make sure each community has in average 3 vehicles for urgent trips.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

India plans first underwater metro in 2022

The first underwater Metro is being constructed in Hooghly river. The project is awaiting clearance of 2.8 million USD from the Indian Railways.
The Hooghly Metro is one of the oldest Metro in the country. It was started in 1984. The new under water tunnel will carry 20% of city’s population and will cross the river in less than a minute. Currently it takes 20 minutes in the ferry to cross the river and an hour to cross the Howrah bridge.
While the infrastructural developments are increasing exponentially, it is important to check their effects on environment. According to World Wide Funds, by 2050 the Earth will hold 75% more infrastructure than that it does today.
Therefore, it is essential to study their Environmental impacts and take necessary alternate actions to protect the environment.
According to United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), EIA is the evaluation of environmental impacts and also cultural, human-health and socio-economic impacts of a proposed project.
EIA in India began in 1976. However, it was an administrative decision till 1994. In 1994 Environmental (Protection) act, 1986 was amended to providelegislative support to EIA process.

::SPORTS::

Praggnanandhaa beats world champion at Gibraltar chess competition

Young Indian Grand Master R. Praggnanandhaa pulled off a huge upset, beating former world champion VeselinTopalov in the sixth round of the 18th Gibraltar Chess Festival to record his fifth straight win.
The 14-year old Chennai lad needed just 33 moves to put it across the Bulgarian. He had started with a loss against compatriot P V Nandhidhaa but since then he has been on a winning spree.
Praggnanandhaa is in second spot on five points with six other players and will take on Chinese GM Wang Hao in the seventh round.