October 20, 2021 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
PM pays tributes to Maharishi Valmiki on occasion of Valmiki Jayanti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Maharishi Valmiki on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister recalled Maharishi Valmiki's seminal contributions towards chronicling the country's rich past and glorious culture. Mr Modi said, his emphasis on social empowerment keeps inspiring people.

PMFBY: Working Group set up

The Central Government has set up a working group, with the aim of rolling out an overhauled Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana (PMFBY) from kharif season 2022.
This working group has been constituted comprising of officials from Centre, top executives of public sector insurance companies and key crop-producing states.
Working group will suggest “sustainable, financial and operational models.”
It was constituted after several states quit the scheme, which in turn defeats the objective of protecting income of farmers.
The working group will be set up as centre identified a hardening of premium market, inadequate underwriting capacity of insurers and lack of sufficient participation in tenders as major issues, impacting PMFBY during implementation of the scheme.
Under the scheme, premium that farmers are required to fix is 1.5% of the sum insured for rabi crops while 2% for Kharif crops. It is 5% for cash crops under PMFBY. Rest of the premium is split between the Centre and states.
Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar have exited the scheme, till date. Punjab did not implement the crop insurance scheme. Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal have launched their own schemes under which farmers do not pay any premium, however they receive a fixed compensation amount in case of crop failure.

Earth Sciences Minister Dr.Jitendra Singh launches Air Quality Early Warning System

Earth Sciences Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has launched Air Quality Early Warning System on the occasion of AzadiKaAmritMahotsav week.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has developed a new Decision Support System and extended the ability of the existing air quality early warning system to have decision-making capability for air quality management.
Air warning System integrated with the Decision Support System will become a user-friendly tool for air-quality management in and around Delhi.
A dedicated website has been created to deliver quantitative information about the contribution of emissions from Delhi and the surrounding 19 districts to the air quality in Delhi. The website is designed to deliver quantitative information about the contribution from biomass-burning activities in the neighbouring states to the degradation of air quality in Delhi.

Quiz of The Day: 2021, Quiz Questions

INTERNATIONAL
India to participate in Moscow Format meet on Afghanistan

India will participate in the Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan to be held. The meeting is being hosted by Russia.
This is the first Moscow format dialogue since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August.
India received an invitation for the Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan and will be participating in it.
Representatives of ten nations will take part in the Moscow format meeting. Discussion will focus on situation in Afghanistan, and formation of an inclusive government.
Taliban delegation will be headed by Abdul Salam Hanafi, deputy Prime Minister of the interim Afghan government.
The Moscow format was introduced in 2017 on the basis of the six-party mechanism for consultations between special representatives from Russia, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran, and India.

North Korea confirms missile test designed for submarine launch

North Korea confirmed that it tested a newly developed missile designed to be launched from a submarine, the first such weapons test in two years.
South Korea's military had reported an apparent weapons test in waters off Japan's coast.
North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said, the missile had lots of advanced control guidance technologies, and was fired from the same vessel as in a 2016 test. It said, the latest test will greatly contribute to putting the defence technology of the country on a high level and to enhancing the underwater operational capability of country's navy. The State media said, the new missile has introduced advanced control guidance technologies including flank mobility and gliding skip mobility.
North Korea has carried out a flurry of missile tests in recent weeks, including of what it said were hypersonic and long-range weapons. Some of these tests violate strict international sanctions. The country is specifically prohibited by the United Nations from testing ballistic missiles as well as nuclear weapons.
The test came as North Korea steps up pressure on Washington and Seoul to abandon what Pyongyang sees as hostile polices such as joint US-South Korea military drills and international sanctions on the North.

Ecuador declares state of emergency over crime wave

Ecuador, the South American country, has declared a state of emergency over crime wave. Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso announced a 60-day state of emergency yesterday amidst a rise in violent drug crimes.
The announcement came on the eve of a visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. The two leaders will discuss questions of security, defence and trade. The South American country is grappling with a surge in violent crime and deadly prison riots. The government has pointed to drug trafficking and consumption as the underlying problem.
Soldiers in riot gear reached to reinforce authorities after street merchants protested the seizure of their merchandise by the Municipal Police of Quito.

US Climate envoy John Kerry says Glasgow COP-26 is last best hope for world to get its act together

America's Climate Envoy John Kerry has said that the COP-26 Climate Change Summit in Glasgow is the last best hope for the world to get its act together.
He said that if greenhouse gas emissions were not reduced enough over the next nine years, there is no chance of meeting long-term targets.
Scientists say that would requireglobal carbon emissions to fall by 45 per cent from 2010 levels by the end of this decade. China, the world's biggest emitter, will be key to any hopes of a strong outcome at COP-26, when it is held at Glasgow in Scotland from 31st of October to 12th of November.

French ambassador ordered out of Belarus

France's ambassador to Belarus has left the country after the Belarus government ordered him out.
According to reports ambassador Nicolas de Lacoste left the country on Sunday. He had been told to leave by Monday. 57-year-old Mr de Lacoste, was posted to Minsk last year.
France, like other EU countries, has not recognised Mr. Lukashenko's claim to a sixth presidential term after last August's elections amid widespread claims of voting fraud.

Published date : 20 Oct 2021 06:49PM