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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 02 June 2021

::NATIONAL::

Recently, union Agriculture Minister launched Horticulture Cluster Development Programme (CDP) to ensure holistic growth of horticulture.
It is a central sector programme, implemented by National Horticulture Board, starting with pilot phase in12 horticulture clusters (out of total 53 clusters) covering nearly 10 lakh farmers from 11 States/UTs.
It will leverage geographical specialisation and promote integrated and market-led development; makingIndian horticulture clusters globally competitive.

In 2021 till now, Delhi has reported 29 cases of the dengue, the highest in the four years.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus (Genus Flavivirus) and spread topeople through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.
These mosquitoes also spread Zika, chikungunya, and other viruses.
The first dengue vaccine Dengvaxiawas approved by the US Food & Drug Administration in 2019.
Dengvaxia is a live, attenuated virus vaccine.

China has announced it will now allow three children per married couple — five years after it first relaxed its controversial one-child policy to two.
Recent census data showed population growth slipping to its slowest rate since the 1950s.

China’s one-child policy, which had been enforced by then-leader Deng Xiaoping in 1980.
This had remained in place until 2016, when fears of a rapidly ageing population undermining economic growth forced the ruling Communist Party to allow two children per married couple.
While the relaxation did result in some improvement in the proportion of young people in the country, the policy change was deemed insufficient in averting an impending demographic crisis.

China embarked upon its one-child policy in 1980, when the Communist Party was concerned that the country’s growing population, which at the time was approaching one billion, would impede economic progress.
The policy, which was implemented more effectively in urban areas, was enforced through several means, including incentivising families financially to have one child, making contraceptives widely available, and imposing sanctions against those who violated the policy.
Chinese authorities have long hailed the policy as a success, claiming that it helped the country avert severe food and water shortages by preventing up to 40 crore people from being born.
However, the one-child limit was also a source of discontent, as the state used brutal tactics such as forced abortions and sterilisations.
It also met criticism and remained controversial for violating human rights, and for being unfair to poorer Chinese since the richer ones could afford to pay economic sanctions if they violated the policy.

The African Union (AU) announced it was suspending Mali with immediate effect and threatened the impoverished country with sanctions.

This is happened after a second military coup in nine months.
The putsch has sparked deep concerns over stability in the volatile Sahel region and warnings of economic penalties from across the international community.
The AU “decides... to immediately suspend the Republic of Mali from participation in all activities of the African Union, its organs and institutions, until normal constitutional order has been restored in the country”, the body's Peace and Security Council said in a statement late Tuesday.
The move follows a similar suspension from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The AU called for the military to “urgently and unconditionally return to the barracks, and to refrain from further interference in the political processes in Mali”.

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel launched the SATAT initiative.
This included signing of a Cooperation Agreement by Oil and Gas companies for the promotion and development of the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) scheme.

The SATAT scheme aims to set up Compressed Biogas production plants and make CBG available in the market for use as a green fuel.
‘SATAT’, launched on 1.10.2018, envisages to target production of 15 MMT of CBG from 5000 plants by 2023.
Besides the potential to boost availability of more affordable transport fuels, better use of agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal solid waste, the 5000 CBG plants will provide an investment of 1.75 lakh crore, an additional revenue source to farmers, and 75,000 direct job opportunities and lakhs of indirect jobs.
The Cooperation agreement provides for establishing a strong network for marketing the entire produced quantity of CBG Plants through various channels.
The agreement also has provision for associate implementers to join the SATAT movement.
As per the agreement, IndianOil shall act as coordinator under the SATAT scheme and liaison with the Government and other agencies on behalf of Industry members.
GAIL shall serve as the coordinator for the implementation of the CBG-CGD synchronization scheme.
During the event, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also signed MoUs with Essar Capital Limited, XEMX Projects, Knowledge Integration Services, and Global Green Growth Institute, Seoul to set up new CBG Plants across the country.

The Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday said it has permitted drone operations, which are in compliance with its no-permission-no-takeoff (NPNT) scheme, up to 400 feet above the ground in 166 new green zones across the country.
The NPNT scheme requires an operator to take permission from aviation regulator DGCA, using an app, before each drone flight.
If this permission is not received, the drone itself will not function.
Flying in these approved ‘green-zones’ will require only intimation of the time and location of the flights via the Digital Sky portal or the app.
These 166 green zones are in addition to the 66 green zones already approved by the ministry till date.