13th October, 2021 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
Union Cabinet approves AMRUT 2.0 till 2025-26

The Union Cabinet today approved the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) till 2025-26. The Cabinet said, providing reliable and affordable water supply and sanitation services to urban households is a national priority.
The decision is a step towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat and with aim of making the cities water-secure and self-sustainable through a circular economy of water. This will be achieved by providing functional tap connections to all households, undertaking water source conservation, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells, recycle and re-use of treated used water and rainwater harvesting.
AMRUT Mission was launched in June 2015 to facilitate ease of living to citizens in 500 cities by providing tap connections and sewer connections. So far, more than one crore ten lakh household tap connections and 85 lakh sewer connections have been provided.
Taking forward the remarkable strides made under AMRUT, AMRUT 2.0, targets universal coverage of water supply by providing household tap connections in all four thousand 378 statutory towns.
The mission targets to provide two crore 68 lakh tap connections and two crore 64 lakh sewer and septage connections to achieve the intended outcomes. The total indicative outlay for AMRUT 2.0 is two lakh 77 thousand crore rupees including a central share of 76 thousand 760 crore rupees for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Union Cabinet the continuation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) till 2025-26

Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) till 2025-26 with a focus on sustainability of Open Defecation Free outcomes. A financial outlay of one lakh 41 thousand 600 crore rupees has been finalized for Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0. This includes a central share of 36 thousand 465 crore rupees for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 which is over 2.5 times the financial outlay of around 62 thousand crore rupees in the last phase of the Mission.
Over the next five years, the focus of the mission will be on sustaining the sanitation and solid waste management outcomes achieved. This will accelerate the momentum generated, to achieve a Garbage Free Urban India. The Mission will focus on ensuring complete access to sanitation facilities to serve additional populations migrating from rural to urban areas in search of employment and better opportunities over the next five years. This will be done through the construction of over three lakh 50 thousand individual, community and public toilets.

Cabinet approves affiliation of 100 schools with Sainik School Society

Union Cabinet given its approval for affiliation of one hundred government sector as well as private sector schools with the Sainik School Society.
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister NarendraModi approved the proposal on October 12, 2021.
In line with the approval, affiliated Sainik Schools will be launched under Sainik Schools Society of Ministry of Defence.
These Schools will function as an exclusive vertical and will be distinct and different from existing Sainik Schools.
These schools were affiliated in line with the National Education Policy. Government has also decided to provide an increased focus on value-based education which will enable children to develop pride in rich culture and heritage of India. It will also develop effective leadership among them with discipline, character, sense of national duty & patriotism.
Sainik Schools are the system of schools across India, which are established and managed by Sainik Schools Society under the Ministry of Defence (MoD). These schools were conceived in the year 1961 by V. K. Krishna Menon.

Civil Aviation Min approves Akasa Air to operate in India

Ministry of Civil Aviation has given a no-objection certificate (NOC) to new airline named ‘Akasa Air’ for its operation in India.
Akasa Air is baked by RakeshJhunjhunwala as well as ex-Jet Airways CEO VinayDube.
The new airline has set its aim to start operations by mid-2022.
The airline has planned to operate approximately 70 planes in next four years.
Akasa Airline is a Ultra-low-cost carrier service (ULCC), which is being launched by RakeshJhunjhunwala.
ULCC stands for “ultra-low-cost carriers”. Under this airline business model, company focuses on keeping operating costs lower than the typical budget airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet. In low-cost carriers (LCC) model, airlines unbundle certain amenities which are usually associated with the full-service airline experience such as seat selection, food and beverages, etc. In the ultra-low-cost model, there will be more unbundling of services including checked-in baggage, cabin baggage, etc. LCCs operate with lower fares while ULCCs operate with minimal costs in order to ensure profitability.

INTERNATIONAL
IEA invites India to become full-time member

International Energy Agency (IEA) has invited India to become its full-time member.
This membership invitation was given in the light that, India is world’s third-largest energy consumer.
If this proposal is accepted, it will require India to increase its strategic oil reserved to 90 days requirement.
Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri held discussions with IEA Executive Director FatihBirol. During the discussion, IEA executive director invited India to deepen its cooperation with IEA by becoming its full member.
India became an associate member of the IEA in March 2017. IEA is a Paris-based body that advises industrialised nations regarding the energy policies. In January 2021, IEA members & India agreed to enter into a strategic partnership in order to strengthen their collaboration with respect to energy security and clean energy transition.
According to IEA report, India is becoming increasingly influential in global energy sector.
India’s demand for energy is set to increase rapidly in the coming decades, particularly the electricity use.
India’s reliance on fuel imports will make the improving energy security a key priority for Indian economy.
As per IEA, a member country must maintain “crude oil and/or product reserves equal to 90 days of net imports in previous year. For this purpose, government has immediate access and it can be used to address disruptions in global oil supply. The current strategic oil reserves are equal to 9.5 days of its requirement, in India. Furthermore, the IEA members has to show “a demand restraint programme for reducing national oil consumption by up to 10%.
IEA comprises of 30 member countries and eight associate nations. Four countries are seeking for a full membership namely, Colombia, Chile, Israel and Lithuania.
IEA was founded in 1974 by industrialised countries under the framework of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Tunisia’s President unveils new Government

President of Tunisia, Kais Saied, unveiled a new government on October 11, 2021.
The President also gave no hint when he would give up his near total control, seizing most powers in July 2021.
He also did not give any hint to start reforms which are required for a financial rescue package to avert economic disaster.
Under rules President Kais Saied announced in September 2021 when he swept aside many of the constitution moves and bring a new amendment that, cabinet will ultimately answer to him instead of Prime Minister NajlaBouden.
Many of the main cabinet members, such as foreign and finance ministers, were serving President Saied in an interim capacity, already. However, new interior minister is one among his stable allies.

Alexander Schellenberg appointed Austria’s new Chancellor

On October 11, 2021, Alexander Schellenberg was elected as Austrian Chancellor after resignation of Sebastian Kurz.
Sebastian Kurz resigned because of his involvement in a corruption scandal.
Apart from Alexander, Michael Linhardt joined in for the role of foreign minister. He was the former ambassador to France.
Appointment of both the persons helped in ending the crisis within the Austrian government, Austrian People’s Party and Green Party Coalition.

Germany launches World’s First Self-Driving Train

German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and industrial group, Siemens launched the first automated & driverless train of the world on October 11, 2021.
The self-driving train was launched in the city of Hamburg.
This train is more punctual and energy efficient as compared to traditional trains.
Country has planned to add four such trains to the S-Bahn rapid urban rail network of northern city.
These trains will start carrying passengers from December on the existing rail infrastructure.
Other cities such as Paris have driverless metros on the other hand, airports often have automated monorail trains plying terminals. However, these trains run on exclusive single tracks while the Hamburg train will share tracks with other regular trains.
This project is being developed by ‘Siemens and Deutsche Bahn’. It is being dubbed as “world first”. The project is part of a 60-million-euro modernisation of rapid urban rail system of Hamburg. These automated trains will offer a reliable service without laying a single kilometre of new track. These trains can transport “up to 30 percent more passengers”. Besides improving the punctuality, these trains will save more than 30 percent of energy.
It is a German railway company, having its headquarter in Berlin. It is a private joint-stock company. The Federal Republic of Germany is the only shareholder in the company. It is the second-largest transport company in the world. In the year 2015, Deutsche Bahn was the largest railway company of the world by revenue.

ECONOMY
IMF says India will be fastest growing economy; projects 8.5 % growth rate in next fiscal year

International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that India will continue to be the world’s fastest growing major economy, clocking a growth rate of 9.5 per cent in 2021. As per latest IMF projections, Indian economy will grow at 8.5 percent in 2022. The world economy is expected to grow at 5.9 per cent in 2021 and 4.9 per cent in 2022, according to IMF.
The United States is projected to grow at six per cent this year and 5.2 per cent the next year. China, on the other hand, is projected to grow at 8 per cent in 2021 and 5.6 per cent in 2022.
IMF said, global recovery continues, but the momentum has weakened and uncertainty has increased.

SPORTS
India beat Nepal 1-0 in SAFF Championship in Maldives

In SAFF Championship, the Indian Football team registered their first win of the tournament over Nepal.
Sunil Chhetri once again proved saviour as he rescued the Indian team helping it record a 1-0 win over Nepal. In the last two games, India were held for a draw by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Nepal had pushed themselves to the limit to hold India to a draw in the SAFF opener game on October 4.

Published date : 13 Oct 2021 05:46PM