25th October, 2021 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
PM AtmanirbharSwasth Bharat Yojna launched.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ambitious PradhanMantriAtmanirbharSwasth Bharat Yojna (PMASBY) nationwide at a function organised in Varanasi.
With the total outlay of Rs. 64,180 Crore the centrally sponsored scheme PMASBY aims to fill the gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research in urban and rural areas in the country till 2025-26.
In view of the global pandemic of Covid-19, the main purpose of the scheme is to make communities self-reliant in managing pandemics and health crises.
Under this scheme Critical care services will be available in all the districts of the country with more than five lakh populations, through Exclusive Critical Care Hospital Blocks, while the remaining districts will be covered through referral services.
The PMASBY scheme targets to build an IT enabled disease surveillance system by developing a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels in Metropolitan areas. Integrated Health Information Portal will be expanded to all States and Union Territories (UTs) to connect all public health labs.

MoRD: 152 SAKSHAM Centres launched under DAY-NRLM

Ministry of Rural Development launched 152 SAKSHAM centres under the DeendayalAntyodayaYojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). These centres were launched as a part of Azadika Amrit Mahotsav.
About 152 Centre for Financial Literacy & Service Delivery (or SAKSHAM Centres) were launched across 77 districts in 13 states, during October 4 to 8, 2021.
These centres would act as one stop solution or single window system for the basic financial needs of Self-Help Group (SHG) households across the rural areas.
These centres were launched with the objective of providing financial literacy and facilitating the delivery of financial services like credit, savings, pensions, insurance, etc. These facilities will be provided to SHG members and rural poor.
These centres will be managed by SHG network, at the level of “Cluster Level Federations (CLFs)”. Trained Community Resource Persons (CRPs) will also help in maintaining the centres.
This mobile & web-based application has been launched by Ministry of Rural Development. The community resource person of the Centre will use this application for knowing the penetration of several financial services for each SHG & village, identifying major gaps as well as for providing training & delivering the required financial services. Application will also measure the impact of the programme for mid-course correction in the strategy on regular interval.

Azadi Amrut Chai in Orthodox, Elaichi, Adrakh and Masala flavors launched

Central Public Sector Enterprise in Tea Sector under Ministry of Heavy Industries M/s Andrew Yule and Company Limited has come out with a series of Azadi Amrut Chai in Orthodox, Elaichi, Adrakh and Masala flavors to commemorate the 75th year of India’s Independence and to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Azadi Amrut Chai was launched by Heavy Industries Minister Dr. Mahendranath Pandey. It will be available for retail sale soon at an introductory price of 75 rupees per 100 grams pack at Tea Board counter of Parliament, Trifed outlets, Udyog Bhawan and other Central Government offices.
M/s Andrew Yule and Company Limited, a 158 years old company has 15 Tea Gardens spread over Assam and West Bengal having close to 14 thousand employees. All its gardens are more than 100 years old producing 110 Lakh Kgs of high quality, CTC, Orthodox, Green and White Tea.

Seaweed culture being promoted in a big way: Union Minister L Murugan

Union Minister of State for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry L Murugan has said sea-weed culture is being promoted across the country in a big way and steps are being taken to identify places in the country where such culture units can be set up.
After visiting National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) in Hyderabad, the Minister said sea-weed culture and cage aqua-culture are the new age techniques that the Pradhan Mantri Matsya SampadaYojana (PMMSY) is actively promoting for empowerment of fishermen.
Stating that there is a great demand for sea-weed which has medicinal properties in India and abroad, the minister said sea-weed cultivation helps in empowerment of fishing community. He further said sea-weed park was coming up in Tamil Nadu, and more such parks will be set up across the country.
The minister said the Central government is working on strategies to drastically increase earnings from fishing and allocated 20 thousand crore under the AatmaNirbhar Bharat programme for developing landing centres, fishing harbours, processing units and cold storages.

INTERNATIONAL

Saudi Green Initiative Forum

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has opened the “Saudi Green Initiative forum” on October 23, 2021.
The forum was launched in Riyadh, along with the announcement of Saudi Arabia’s new “green” objectives.
The forum will discuss the environmental efforts made by Saudi Arabia with guests including international personalities and high-profile government leaders.
In this forum, Saudi Arabia also announced the roadmap of Saudi Arabia for protecting environment and confronting climate change.
It is an annual forum, which will serve as a platform for the launch new environmental initiatives of the country.
It will also monitor the impact of previously announced environmental initiatives.
Saudi Arabia also launched initiatives in the energy sector. These initiatives would reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tons annually by the year 2030.
Crown price also announced the accession of Saudi Arabia to the Global Methane Pledge. This pledge was launched with the aim of reducing methane emissions across the globe by 30 percent.
He also announced Saudi Arabia’s intention of joining Global Oceans Alliance, Sports for Climate Action Agreement, Alliance to Eliminate Plastic Waste in Oceans & Beaches as well as to establish a global centre for Sustainable Tourism.
Saudi Arabia would also be joining a Non-Profit foundation for exploring the seas and oceans.

COP26: Bangladesh to share ‘Climate prosperity plan’

Bangladesh has planned to present its “climate prosperity plan” at the upcoming United Nations climate talks in Glasgow.
Climate prosperity plan will be presented with the aim of mitigating the effects of global warming on economic development.
This plan will also visualise boosting the renewable energy.
It will make agriculture more resistant to climate shocks.
The plan also seeks to find solutions in nature to challenges created by global warming, like restoring mangroves for protecting coasts from cyclones.
The South Asian nation, Bangladesh, will also encourage other vulnerable countries as well in drafting their own plans.
26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) has been scheduled from October 31 to November 12 in Glasgow, Scotland. In the conference, representatives from more than 200 countries will gather and discuss new targets to cut or curb the growth of emissions which contribute to climate change.
Bangladesh has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. Its GDP had increased to $305 billion in 2019, from $6.2 billion in 1972. Some of the experts expect that, GDP will double in size by 2030. However, climate change might reverse this trend. The country is at the risk of displacement due to sea level rise, heat waves, severe floods, and cyclones.

PM Modi to travel to Rome and Glasgow to attend 16th G-20 Summit and World Leaders’ Summit of COP-26 from Oct 29

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Rome and Glasgow from 29th of this month to 2nd November to attend the 16th G-20 Summit and the World Leaders’ Summit of COP-26. Mr Modi will participate in the 16th G-20 Summit in Rome from 30th and 31st ctober at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.
The Summit will also be attended by Heads of State and Heads of Government of G-20 Member Countries, the European Union and other invited countries and International Organizations.
This will be the 8th G-20 Summit that Prime Minister would be attending. The G-20 has emerged as the premier global forum for international economic cooperation. India is scheduled to host the G-20 Summit in 2023 for the first time.
The forthcoming Summit under the Italian Presidency is centred around the theme ‘People, Planet, Prosperity’, focussing on the areas of Recovery from the Pandemic and Strengthening of Global Health Governance, Economic Recovery and Resilience, Climate Change and Energy Transition and Sustainable Development and Food Security.
The Prime Minister will also hold several bilateral meetings, including with the Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.

ECONOMY

Govt. to issue 4 tranches of Sovereign Gold Bonds from October 2021 to March 2022

Centre in consultation with RBI has decided to issue four tranches of Sovereign Gold Bonds from October 2021 to March 2022. As the statement of RBI, Subscription for the next tranche can be done between 25th October to 29th October.
The Bonds will be sold through Scheduled Commercial banks, designated post offices, and Stock exchanges. Bonds will be restricted for sale to resident individuals, HUFs, Trusts, Universities and Charitable Institutions.
It will be denominated in multiples of gram of gold with a basic unit of 1 gram and Minimum permissible investment will be 1 gram of gold. Price of Bond will be fixed on the basis of simple average of closing price of gold of 999 purity, published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association Limited for the last 3 working days of the week preceding the subscription period. Discount of Rs. 50 per gram will be given for those who will subscribe it online and pay through digital mode.

SEBI asks investment advisors to refrain from dealing in digital gold

Capital markets regulator Sebi has asked investment advisers to refrain from dealing in digital gold, which is an unregulated product.
This came after SEBI noted that some registered investment advisors are engaged in unregulated activity by providing a platform for buying, selling or dealing in unregulated products including digital gold. SEBI further said any dealing in unregulated activities by investment advisers may entail action under the SEBI Act and regulations framed thereunder.
In August, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) had directed its members, including stockbrokers, to discontinue the sale of digital gold on their platforms by September 10. The direction came after the capital markets regulator noted that certain members are providing a platform to their clients for buying and selling digital gold.

SPORTS

T-20 World Cup: Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets in Dubai

In the T20 Cricket World Cup, Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets in Dubai in their first group match last night. Chasing a victory target of 152 runs set by India, Pakistan achieved it in 17.5 overs.
A record-breaking 100-plus opening stand between openers Mohammad Rizwan (79 not out) and skipper Babar Azam (68 not out) powered Pakistan to an emphatic 10 wicket win over India.
Earlier, a captain's knock from ViratKohli (49-ball 57) and his fifty-run partnership with Rishabh Pant (30-ball 39) propelled India to 151 for 7 in the stipulated 20 overs after Shaheen Shah Afridi rocked the Indian top-order to help Pakistan get off to a dream start. Afridi was declared Player of the Match.
In another match, Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by five wickets. Bangladesh had set the target of 172 runs, which Sri Lanka achieved in 18.5 overs.

Published date : 25 Oct 2021 06:24PM