9th August, 2024 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
Government of India constitutes a Committee to monitor the current situation on Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB)

• The Government of India has constituted a Committee to monitor the current situation on Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB). The committee will maintain communication channels with their counterpart authorities in Bangladesh to ensure safety of Indian citizens and people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh.
• The Committee will be headed by ADG, Border Security Force (BSF), Eastern Command and will have IG, BSF Frontier HQ South Bengal, IG, BSF Frontier HQ Tripura, Member (Planning & Development), Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), and, Secretary, LPAI, as its members.

Carriage Of Goods By Sea Bill Introduced In Lok Sabha

• The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha today by the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal. The bill aims to modernize and update the legal framework governing the responsibilities, liabilities, rights, and immunities of carriers involved in the sea transport of goods.

Key points of the bill include:

• Replacing the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925, which is nearly a century old.
• Empowering the government to issue directives to ensure compliance with international conventions and adapt to the evolving global maritime landscape.
• The Minister highlighted the necessity of these updates to address current industry practices and international standards.

BIS To Establish Ayush Standardisation Department

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will create a new department dedicated to standardising Ayush practices. This initiative, announced by the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry, aims to enhance the safety, efficacy, and quality of Ayush products. The department will cover Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy.
• BIS Director General Pramod Kumar outlined that the Ayush department will form seven sectional committees, each focusing on a specific system within Ayush. These committees will collaborate with stakeholders to develop evidence-based standards aligned with national and international guidelines.

Lok Sabha resumes discussion on Finance Bill, 2024

• The Lok Sabha resumed discussion on the Finance Bill, 2024.
• The Finance Bill will help in achieving the targets set in this years’ budget for making India a developed nation.
• The present budget will simplify the taxation system in the country.
• It is to appreciate the government’s decision of abolishing the Angel Tax saying it will provide big relief to the country’s startup ecosystem.
• The government is working to make the country the third largest economy in the world.

India and Saint Christopher & Nevis Sign MoU on Sports Cooperation

• India and Saint Christopher & Nevis have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the field of sports. The agreement was formalized by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, India’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, and Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saint Christopher & Nevis. This MoU outlines several key areas of collaboration aimed at improving sports infrastructure, training, and management between the two nations.
• Training and exchange programs for sports sciences personnel.
• Development assistance in sports sciences and coach education.
• Curriculum development and sports education.
• Sports management and infrastructure development.

MoSPI Launches e-Sankhyiki Portal to Revolutionize Data Management

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has launched the e-Sankhyiki portal on June 29, marking a significant advancement in data management and dissemination in India. This initiative aims to streamline the sharing of official statistics through a comprehensive system designed to enhance ease of access and analysis.
• The portal incorporates robust data safety protocols, including:
• Cloud Storage: Data is stored in the National Informatics Centre (NIC) cloud facility.
• Security Audits: Regular audits of applications to ensure integrity.
• SSL Implementation: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) used for domain security.
• Vulnerability Assessments: Ongoing evaluations to identify potential threats.

Also Read: Union Budget 2024-25: Practice Top Quiz Questions Here!

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INTERNATIONAL
Sri Lanka India Friendship Arch Inaugurated As Part Of Plant4Mother Campaign

• As part of Plant4Mother campaign, the Sri Lanka-India friendship arch was inaugurated today. Speaker of Sri Lankan Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeyawardena and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha jointly inaugurated the ‘Sri Lanka – India Friendship Arch’ at the National Sandalwood Garden at Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.
• Sri Lankan Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, Office bearers of the Sri Lanka-India Parliamentary Friendship Association & senior officials participated by planting Murutha saplings, symbolising a shared commitment to a greener future.

Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus Sworn In As Bangladesh’s Interim Head   

• Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government. Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to him at Bangabhaban in Dhaka this evening. Diplomats from various countries were present on the occasion.
• Born on 28 June 1940, Mr Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi entrepreneur, banker, and economist. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance.

Bangladesh President appoints Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as head of interim government

• Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has appointed Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus as head of an interim government.
•  The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting President Shahabuddin had with chiefs of the three services and a 13-member delegation of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace, in Dhaka.
• The President has also dissolved the Parliament. The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement that spearheaded the protests has earlier said that 84-year-old Yunus has agreed to head the interim government.
• Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his anti-poverty campaign through the Grameen Bank. While the Army took charge on Monday, incidents of violence were reported overnight in many parts of the country and the death toll due to the unrest since mid-July rose to 440. At least 24 people were burnt alive in a hotel owned by a leader of the Awami League in the western Joshor district.
• Meanwhile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was released from house arrest. The 79-year-old former prime minister has long battled various ailments, including issues related to the kidney, lung and heart.

First edition of BIMSTEC Business Summit held in New Delhi

• The first edition of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – BIMSTEC Business Summit held in New Delhi.
• All member states are coming together and will be meeting in different sessions including B2B meetings. This very first BIMSTEC business summit will lead to more intra-regional trade and encourage more investment within the region.

Military Rule In Bangladesh

• Bangladesh is in the grip of a major political crisis after its prime minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down and left the country amid violent protests against her regime. The protests over the controversial job quota order escalated into into wider calls for her ouster.
• The mass protests in Bangladesh began as student demonstrations demanding reforms to the civil service quota system. Students argued that the existing quotas unfairly benefited loyalists of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ruling party, the Awami League. The protests grew as demonstrators expressed broader discontent with Hasina’s government, which they accuse of autocratic practices and suppressing dissent. The government’s response, including closing schools and universities, failed to ease the unrest.

Jakarta Hosts 5th AITIGA Joint Committee Meeting

• The 5th AITIGA Joint Committee meeting, marking a significant milestone in ASEAN-India economic cooperation, took place in Jakarta from July 29 to August 1, 2024.
•  The discussions aimed at reviewing and enhancing the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) were co-chaired by Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, India, and Ms. Mastura Ahmad Mustafa, Deputy Secretary General (Trade), Ministry of Investment, Trade & Industry, Malaysia. Delegates from all 10 ASEAN countries and India participated in the meeting.
• ASEAN remains a crucial trade partner for India, with a trade share of about 11% in India’s global trade. The review of AITIGA, which was initially signed in 2009, aims to bolster trade opportunities and enhance economic engagement. The next AITIGA Joint Committee meeting is scheduled to be held in India from November 19-22, 2024.

DEFENSE
India’s first multinational Air defence Exercise, Tarang Shakti 2024 to begin at Sulur in Tamil Nadu

• Tarang Shakti 2024, an international air exercise will begin from today at the Airbase at Sulur, Coimbatore. The exercise will continue till the 14th of this month.
• Thirty countries across the world including US, Germany, France, Australia, UAE and Singapore will be participating in the exercise with state-of-the-art fighter jets performing exercises. Tejas, Rafael, Mirage 2000, MII 29 fighters will take part in the exercise. The second phase of the exercise will begin from 29th of this month to September 14th at the Rajasthan Airbase.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LIGHT BULLET-PROOF JACKET DEVELOPED BY DRDO

• DRDO has developed the Bullet Proof Jacket (BPJ) consisting of lightest Front Hard Armour Panel (FHAP). This jacket has been developed in two configuration viz.
• In-Conjunction-With (ICW) and Standalone with different areal density of FHAP. The Bullet Proof Jacket has been developed under DRDO project. The process to transfer the developed technology to Indian Industries has been initiated as per Transfer of Technology (ToT) Policy and procedure of DRDO for production.
• This BPJ is based upon new design approach, where novel material along-with new processes have been used. This BPJ confirms BIS standard 17051 and therefore, it is the lightest BPJ of level 6 with approx. weight of 10.1 kg for medium size, which enhances the wearability and comfort during the operation. This Jacket has also a unique feature of Quick Release Mechanism (QRM) along with other associated features. This BPJ will protect the soldier of Indian Armed Forces/ CAPFs from maximum possible threat of 7.62×54 R AP/ API rounds as on date.

Bio-Bitumen Utilisation in Indian Road Infrastructure

• Ministry has sanctioned two (02) research projects, one each to IIT Roorkee, and Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) New Delhi in collaboration with Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) Dehradun to evaluate bio-bitumen in the laboratory and to assess the long-term performance of pavement constructed with bio-bitumen.
• A test section has also been laid on Shamli-Muzaffarnagar Section of NH-709AD in November 2022 for performance monitoring for a period of three years to assess suitability of bio-bitumen in road construction. NHAI has also contemplated trial with bio-bitumen on Jorabat-Shillong section of NH-40. Envisaged benefits of bio-bitumen are reduction in bitumen import, reduced Green House Gas (GHG) emissions and opportunity for farmers/MSME to generate revenue and provide employment.

Economy
Green Highways Policy

• The Objectives of Green Highways Policy (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance), 2015 were as follows:
• To evolve a policy framework for plantation along National Highways.
• To reduce the impact of air pollution and dust as trees and shrubs are known to be natural sink for air pollutants.
• To provide much needed shade on glaring hot roads during summer.
• To reduce the impact of ever-increasing noise pollution caused due to increase in number of vehicles;
• To arrest soil erosion at the embankment slopes.
• To prevent glare from the headlight of incoming vehicles.
• To moderate the effect of wind and incoming radiation.
• To create employment opportunities for local people.
• NHAI has successfully planted 402.28 lakhs plants till date along the National Highways as per the Green Highways Policy 2015.
• Plantations made so far (till 2023-24) are enclosed in Annexure.
• The plantation is being carried out by the Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Private Agencies, State Forest Department and Forest Corporation and also by the Contractors as per scope of the sanctioned work.
• A Plantation Cell has been established in MoRTH for overall monitoring of all the projects of plantation through regional offices of NHAI, NHIDCL and other agencies in MoRTH for planning, implementation and monitoring of GHPs(Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance) for MoRTH, NHAI and NHIDCL.
• This Ministry is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways. However, the policies related to States other than National Highways lie with them.

ECONOMIC SURVEY OF RURAL-URBAN POPULATION

• As cited in the latest Economic Survey 2023-24, it is expected that by 2030, more than 40 percent of India's population will live in urban areas. This estimation has been made on the basis of studies and reports of NITI Aayog.
• Further, so far as the information on migration is concerned, in the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) during July 2020 – June 2021, information has been collected on migration particulars of the household members. The percentage of internal migrants by four types of rural-urban migration streams (i.e rural areas to rural areas, rural areas to urban areas, urban areas to rural areas and urban areas to urban areas) is given in the table as follows:

SPORTS
Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver At 2024 Paris Olympics

• At the 2024 Paris Olympics, India’s track and field star Neeraj Chopra delivered an impressive performance, securing a silver medal in the men’s javelin with a season-best throw of 89.45 meters. This achievement marks a significant milestone, making Neeraj the first Indian track and field athlete to win two Olympic medals post-independence. His performance in the final, despite fouling five of his six attempts, was highlighted by a remarkable qualification throw of 89.34 meters.
• Pakistani javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, winning the gold medal, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters took the bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters. Neeraj’s silver adds to India’s tally, bringing the nation’s total to five medals at the Paris Games.

Indian Hockey Team Clinches Back-To-Back Olympic Bronze

• At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Indian hockey team achieved a historic milestone by securing a bronze medal for the second consecutive Games, a feat not accomplished in 52 years.
• The team, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, triumphed over Spain with a 2-1 victory, thanks to two crucial goals from Singh and exceptional saves by retiring goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. This marks India’s first back-to-back Olympic medals in hockey since the 1972 Munich Games, following their bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.