Byju’s Classes Current Affairs Webinar 27-09-2017 to 03-10-2017 (Includes topics left out on 12 th Sep due to technical issues) 1. Govt. considering to extend FAME-India scheme The centre is considering the extension of FAME- India scheme to promote electric and hybrid vehicles by another six months. Background: The scheme’s phase-I was introduced from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2017. The phase was subsequently extended by six months till September end. About FAME India scheme: FAME India – Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India – is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. The scheme has four focus areas, technology development, demand creation, pilot projects and charging infrastructure. The scheme envisages Rs 795 crore in support in the first two fiscals starting with the current year. It is being administered by the Heavy Industries Ministry. 2. Govt starts direct transfer of subsidized fertilizers to check diversion, smuggling Context: With a view to preventing diversion of subsidized fertilizers for industrial use and their smuggling across the border, the government soft-launched the direct benefits transfer (DBT) scheme for the commodity in the national capital. Nationwide rollout of the scheme could help prevent the leakage of subsidies meant for farmers. However, unlike in the case of liquified petroleum gas, subsidy on fertilizers will not be passed on to farmers directly as the latter cannot be forced to shell out large sums upfront for fertilizers and get bank transfers later.
Transcript
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Current Affairs Webinar
27-09-2017 to 03-10-2017
(Includes topics left out on 12th Sep due to technical issues)
1. Govt. considering to extend FAME-India scheme
The centre is considering the extension of FAME- India scheme to promote electric and hybrid vehicles by another six months.
Background:
The scheme’s phase-I was introduced from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2017. The phase was subsequently extended by six months till September end.
About FAME India scheme: FAME India – Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India – is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. The scheme has four focus areas, technology development, demand creation, pilot
projects and charging infrastructure. The scheme envisages Rs 795 crore in support in the first two fiscals starting with the
current year. It is being administered by the Heavy Industries Ministry.
2. Govt starts direct transfer of subsidized fertilizers to check diversion, smuggling
Context:
With a view to preventing diversion of subsidized fertilizers for industrial use and their smuggling across the border, the government soft-launched the direct benefits transfer (DBT) scheme for the commodity in the national capital.
Nationwide rollout of the scheme could help prevent the leakage of subsidies meant for farmers.
However, unlike in the case of liquified petroleum gas, subsidy on fertilizers will not be passed on to farmers directly as the latter cannot be forced to shell out large sums upfront for fertilizers and get bank transfers later.
Instead, companies will sell the product at state-set prices and the government will settle the subsidy involved in every individual sale to farmers with the companies within a week of the transaction.
The point-of-sale machines will capture sales data including the identity of the farmer, quantity of purchase, soil health details and land details where possible.
Using this data, the government intends to limit diversion of subsidised fertilizers to other sectors such as plywood manufacture.
3. Andhra Pradesh to get India’s first Hyperloop Context: The government of Andhra Pradesh has signed a MoU with California-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) to develop India’s first Hyperloop route in the state.
Key points: The proposed route for the Hyperloop between the city centres of Vijayawada and
Amaravati could potentially turn a trip of more than one hour into a 6 minute ride. The project will use a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with funding primarily
from private investors.
Background:
Amaravati is a state-of-the-art city being developed in Andhra Pradesh as its de facto capital.
In order to boost its image and emerge as the frontier city in future technology, Amaravati is looking forward to collaborating with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies.
Hyperloop is a cutting-edge technological disruption in the transportation industry. The Hyperloop is expected to give rise to development of various state-of-the-art
technology parks and software clusters in Amaravati, helping to fortify the city’s image as a world class leader in science and technology.
What is Hyperloop transportation system? It is a transportation system where a pod-like vehicle is propelled through a near-vacuum tube connecting cities at speeds matching that of an aircraft.
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How does Hyperloop transportation work? In Hyperloop transportation, custom-designed capsules or pods are expected to zip smoothly through continuous steel tubes which are held at partial vacuum. The pod which sandwiches the passenger compartment between an air compressor upfront and a battery compartment in the rear is supported by air caster skis at the bottom. The skis float on a thin layer of air provided under high pressure, eliminating rolling
resistance and allowing for movement of the pods at high speeds. These capsules are expected to be driverless with estimated speeds of 1,000 km/h.
Linear induction motors that are placed along the tube control the speed of the pod. Electronically-assisted acceleration and braking determines the speed of the capsule.
4. India could embrace CO2 capture technology
Context:
Ongoing international conference on Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS). Venue: Alabama, U.S. Organized by: The International Energy Agency’s Green House Gas Research and
Development
India and CO2 capture:
Coal secretary remarks at the conference: India will explore the possibility of introducing technologies for capturing carbon dioxide emitted while burning coal and other fossil fuels.
Uses of captured CO2:
CO2 has commercial and industrial uses, particularly for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in depleting oil fields.
Carbon dioxide has the ability to change the properties of oil and make it easier to extract.
5. Sun and sea water powers vegetable farms in Jordan Context: A new project named “Sahara Forest Project” has been launched in Jordan. It aims to turn Jordan’s sand dunes into farming land to produce food using sun and sea water.
Details of the project: In the first stage, the project aims to produce up to 130 tonnes of organic vegetables
per year from an area the size of four football pitches. It also produces fresh water. It will use solar panels to provide power and include outdoor planting space, two
saltwater-cooled greenhouses, a water desalination unit and salt ponds for salt production.
The project, whose funders include Norway and the European Union, is to be expanded from three hectares to around 200 hectares of desert.
Need for such innovative initiatives: According to recent United Nations estimations, deserts are expanding 30 times faster than at any time in history. In Africa, where the worst effects of climate changes are already visible, millions are on the move in search of arable land. With the world’s population expected to top 9 billion in 2050, land for food growth is growing scarce.
Way ahead: The Sahara Forest Project demonstrates that innovative application of technology has the potential to revolutionize our land systems in a way that benefits the climate, people, and businesses.
6. Ultra-thin craft to wrap space debris
Context:
The Brane Craft : an ultra-thin spacecraft that can remove space debris — which potentially threatens satellites or astronauts — by enveloping junk in the Earth’s orbit and dragging it through the atmosphere, causing it to burn up.
It is being developed by US-based Aerospace Corporation and it is flexible and measures less than half the thickness of a human hair.
The spacecraft’s microprocessor and digital electronics are fabricated in such a way that it has in-built redundancy, meaning if one component gets damaged, the others will continue to work.
7. Divyang Sarathi’
Why in News?
The government has launched ‘Divyang Sarathi’—the accessible and comprehensive mobile application for easy dissemination of information to ‘Divyangjans’.
According to the Census 2011, there are over 2.68 crore ‘Divyangjans’ in India which constitute more than 2.2% of the population.
Key facts: This mobile application aims at providing all relevant information pertaining to the
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, including its various acts, rules, regulations and guidelines, schemes, information about the various outreach institutions, employment opportunities, and the disability market in an accessible format.
This mobile app will help empower the ‘Divyangjans’ by providing easier and convenient access of information to them as they can now understand all details pertaining to the schemes, scholarships, statutes, institutional support systems and other relevant and crucial information at the click of a button.
The unique features of the mobile application ‘Divyang Sarathi’ are its audio notes (text-to-voice conversion software) embedded in the application which converts the written information into an audio file as well as the adjustable font size which can be altered as per the user’s requirement.
The mobile application ‘Divyang Sarathi’ is compliant with the principles of UNCRPD for Universal Access and the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Act mandates that all information to be made available in an accessible form.
The application is also an integral part of the ICT component of the Accessible India Campaign.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched a new scheme Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana –“Saubhagya” to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas here today.
The total outlay of the project is Rs. 16, 320 crore while the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) is Rs. 12,320 crore. The outlay for the rural households is Rs. 14,025 crore while the GBS is Rs. 10,587.50 crore. For the urban households the outlay is Rs. 2,295 crore while GBS is Rs. 1,732.50 crore. The Government of India will provide largely funds for the Scheme to all States/UTs.
The States and Union Territories are required to complete the works of household electrification by the 31st of December 2018.
The beneficiaries for free electricity connections would be identified using Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data. However, un-electrified households not covered under the SECC data would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on payment of Rs. 500 which shall be recovered by DISCOMs in 10 instalments through electricity bill.
The solar power packs of 200 to 300 Wp with battery bank for un-electrified households located in remote and inaccessible areas, comprises of Five LED lights, One DC fan, One DC power plug. It also includes the Repair and Maintenance (R&M) for 5 years.
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The expected outcome of the Scheme is as follows:
(a) Environmental upgradation by substitution of Kerosene for lighting purposes (b) Improvement in education services (c) Better health services (d) Enhanced connectivity through radio, television, mobiles, etc. (e) Increased economic activities and jobs (f) Improved quality of life especially for women
For easy & accelerated implementation of the Scheme , modern technology shall be used for household survey by using Mobile App. Beneficiaries shall be identified and their application for electricity connection along with applicant photograph and identity proof shall be registered on spot.
The Gram Panchayat/Public institutions in the rural areas may be authorised to collect application forms along with complete documentation, distribute bills and collect revenue in consultation with the Panchayat Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies.
The Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC) will remain the nodal agency for the operationalisation of the scheme throughout the country.
The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) give a detailed view of objectives, features, expected outcomes and implementation strategy of the Scheme.
Qs. No. 1 What is the objective of this new scheme?
Ans. The objective of the ‘Saubhagya’ is to provide energy access to all by last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified households in rural as well as urban areas to achieve universal household electrification in the country.
Qs. No. 2 What all is included in the last mile connectivity and electricity connection to households?
Ans. The electricity connection to households include release of electricity connections by drawing a service cable from the nearest electricity pole to the household premise, installation of energy meter, wiring for a single light point with LED bulb and a mobile charging point. In case the electricity pole is not available nearby from household for drawing service cable, the erection of additional pole along with conductor and associated accessories shall also be covered under the scheme.
Qs. No. 3 Will electricity connection would be totally free of cost for every un-electrified households?
Ans. Yes. Poor households would be provided electricity connections free of cost. Other households would also be provided electricity connections under the scheme on payment of
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Rs.500 only which shall be recovered by the DISCOMs/Power Departments in ten (10) instalments along with electricity bills.
Qs. No.4 Does the free electricity connection also includes free power for consumption?
Ans. There is no provision in the scheme to provide free power to any category of consumers. The cost of electricity consumption shall have to be paid by the respective consumers as per prevailing tariff of the DISCOM/Power Deptt.
Qs. No. 5 The earlier programme of Government of India ‘24x7 Power For All’ has similar objective.? How is it different from this programme ?
Ans. ‘24x7 Power for All’ is a joint initiative with the states covering all segments of power sector i.e. Power generation, transmission and distribution, energy efficiency, health of Discom etc. to finalise State/UT specific roadmap and action plan to ensure 24x7 power for all in consultation with States/UTs. The Power for All documents contain details of various interventions required across the value chain of power sector.
Providing connectivity to all households is a prerequisite to ensure 24x7 power supply. Saubhagya is a schematic support to address the issue of energy access.
Qs. No. 6 In distribution sector, two major schemes; DDUGJY for rural areas and IPDS in urban areas are already under implementation- then what is the need for a new scheme?
Ans. Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) envisage creation of basic electricity infrastructure in villages / habitations, strengthening & augmentation of existing infrastructure, metering of existing feeders / distribution transformers / consumers to improve quality and reliability of power supply in rural areas. Besides this, last mile connectivity and free electricity connections are also provided to BPL households only identified by the States as per their list. However, in villages which are electrified in past for a long period, many households do not have electricity connections for many reasons. Some of the really poor households do not have BPL cards but these households are not capable of paying applicable initial connection charges. There is also lack of awareness as to how to get connection or taking connection is not an easy task for illiterate people. There may not be electricity pole nearby and the cost of erection of additional pole, conductor is also chargeable from the households for obtaining a connection.
Similarly in urban areas, Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) provides for creation of necessary infrastructure to provide electricity access but some households are not yet connected mainly on account of their economic condition as they are not capable of paying the initial connection charges.
Therefore, Soubhagya has been launched to plug such gaps and comprehensively address the issues of entry barrier, last mile connectivity and release of electricity connections to all un-electrified households in rural and urban areas.
Qs. No.7 What is strategy for achievement of target in a time bound manner?
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Ans. In order to hasten the process of release of connections to households, camps would be organised in villages / cluster of villages for identification of beneficiaries using modern IT technology with a Mobile App / Web Portal. Application for electricity connections shall also be registered electronically and requisite documentation including photograph of applicant, copy of identity card and / or details such as mobile number/Aadhar number/bank account number etc. shall be completed on spot in the camps, so that connections are released at the earliest.
The Gram Panchayat / public institutions in rural areas shall also be authorized to collect application form, complete documentation and also for distribution of bills, collection of revenue and other activities, as applicable.
Qs. No.8 Would the Scheme envisage providing amnesty to illegal consumers to come and register? Is that also something the Scheme targets?
Ans. The illegal connections need to be dealt with by the respective DISCOMs/Power Deptt in accordance with their rules/regulations in this regard. However, the scheme categorically provides that the defaulters whose connections have been disconnected shall not be given benefit of the scheme.
9. India Ranked 40th On World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index
India has been ranked as the 40th most competitive economy – slipping one place from last year’s ranking – on the World Economic Forum’s global competitiveness index.
The Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) is prepared on the basis of country-level data covering 12 categories or pillars of competitiveness.
Institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health and primary education, higher education and training, goods market efficiency, labour market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication and innovation are the 12 pillars.
Performance of India: India stabilises this year after its big leap forward of the previous two years. The score has improved across most pillars of competitiveness. These include infrastructure (66th rank), higher education and training (75) and technological readiness (107), reflecting recent public investments in these areas. According to the report, India’s performance also improved in ICT (information and
communications technologies) indicators, particularly Internet bandwidth per user, mobile phone and broadband subscriptions, and Internet access in schools.
However, the WEF said the private sector still considers corruption to be the most problematic factor for doing business in India. The second biggest bottleneck is ‘access to financing’, followed by ‘tax rates’, ‘inadequate supply of infrastructure’, ‘poor work ethics in national labour force’ and ‘inadequately educated work force’, among others.
Another big concern for India is the disconnect between its innovative strength (29) and its technological readiness (up 3 ranks to 107): as long as this gap remains large, India will not be able to fully leverage its technological strengths across the wider economy.
Performance of various countries: The list is topped by Switzerland. The US and Singapore are in the second and third
places, respectively. Other countries in the top 10 are the Netherlands (4th rank), Germany (5), Hong Kong
SAR (6), Sweden (7), United Kingdom (8), Japan (9) and Finland (10). Among the BRICS nations, China and Russia (38) are placed above India. South Africa
and Brazil are placed at the 61st and 80th spots, respectively. In South Asia, India has garnered the highest ranking, followed by Bhutan (85th), Sri
Lanka (85th), Nepal (88), Bangladesh (99) and Pakistan (115).
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10.Western Ghats throw up a new snake
Scientists have discovered a new species of non-venomous endemic snake, Aquatic Rhabdops, from the northern Western Ghats.
About Aquatic Rhabdops: Rhabdops aquaticus was till now considered a variant of the Olive Forest Snake, first
described in 1863. However, the new study confirms that the Aquatic Rhabdops is a different one: they sport not only different colours and patterns, but also vary in other features of size, shape and structure, and also genetic make-up.
The adults are mostly associated with freshwater forest streams and juveniles are seen in water-logged areas, mostly on rocky plateaus. The nocturnal snake hunts for prey underwater.
While adults of the Aquatic Rhabdops have off-white bellies and black spots on their olive brown skin, juveniles are olive green, with yellow undersides. This colour difference in life stages could possibly be due to the different local habitats.
The Aquatic Rhabdops is found only in the laterite plateaus of the northern Western Ghats in Goa, southern Maharashtra and northern Karnataka, in areas facing severe human pressures.
11.4th gravitational wave detected by LIGO, Virgo observatory
A fourth gravitational wave has been detected — this time with help from Italy-based equipment — after two black holes collided, sending ripples through the fabric of space and time. The newly produced spinning black hole has about 53 times the mass of our Sun. While
this new event is of astrophysical relevance, its detection comes with an additional asset: this is the first significant gravitational wave signal recorded by the Virgo detector.
Background: Gravitational waves were predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity, but the first hard evidence of their existence came only in 2015, when two U.S. detectors found the first such signal.
About Virgo detector: The Virgo collaboration includes more than 280 physicists and engineers belonging to 20 different European research groups. The Virgo detector — an underground L-shaped instrument that tracks gravitational
waves using the physics of laser light and space — recently underwent an upgrade, and while still less sensitive than its U.S. counterparts, it was able to confirm the same signal.
Known as interferometers, these high-tech underground stations do not rely on light in the sky like a telescope does, but instead sense vibrations in space and can pick up the “chirp” created by a gravitational wave.
What are gravitational waves?
In simple terms, gravitational waves can be explained as ripples in the fabric of space-time which can only be caused by massive astronomical events such as neutron stars or black holes orbiting each other so that these waves would finally radiate from them.
These gravitational waves, if detected, will carry signatures of their origin, explaining much about the nature of gravity and the origin of the universe. They had remained elusive till their detection was first announced last year.
LIGO Observatory
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to develop gravitational-wave observations as an astronomical tool.
Two large observatories were built in the United States with the aim of detecting gravitational waves by laser interferometry.
LIGO operates two gravitational wave observatories in unison: the LIGO Livingston Observatory in Livingston, Louisiana, and the LIGO Hanford Observatory located near Richland, Washington.
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2017 Nobel Prize for Physics
Three American physicists have won the Nobel prize in physics for the discovery of gravitational waves
Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne and Barry Barish will share the prize. All three scientists have played a leading role in the Laser Interferometer
Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or Ligo, experiment, which made the first historic observation of gravitational waves in September 2015.
12.Centre notifies wetland rules In a major decision, the union environment ministry notified the new Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 which prohibit a range of activities in wetlands like setting up and expansion of industries, waste dumping and discharge of effluents. What are wetlands?
Wetlands can be defined as lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water.
They support rich biodiversity and provide wide range of ecosystem services such as water storage, water purification, flood mitigation, erosion control, aquifer recharge and others.
But they are threatened by reclamation and degradation due to activities like drainage and landfill, pollution, hydrological alteration (water withdrawal and changes in inflow and outflow), over-exploitation resulting in loss of biodiversity and disruption in ecosystem services provided by them.
There are at least 115 wetlands that are officially identified by the central government and of those 26 are identified as wetlands of international importance under Ramsar Convention which is an international intergovernmental treaty for conservation of wetlands. India is a party to the treaty.
Key facts: The new rules will replace the 2010 version of the rules. The new rules stipulate setting up of a State Wetlands Authority in each State and
union territories that will be headed by the State’s environment minister and include a range of government officials. They will also include one expert each in the fields of wetland ecology, hydrology, fisheries, landscape planning and socioeconomics to be nominated by the state government.
These authorities will need to develop a comprehensive list of activities to be regulated and permitted within the notified wetlands and their zone of influence, recommend additional prohibited activities for specific wetlands, define strategies for
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conservation and wise use of wetlands, and undertake measures for enhancing awareness within stakeholders and local communities on values and functions of wetlands. Wise use is defined as the principle of sustainable uses that is compatible with conservation.
The State authorities will also need to prepare a list of all wetlands of the State or union territory within three months, a list of wetlands to be notified within six months, a comprehensive digital inventory of all wetlands within one year which will be updated every ten years.
The rules prohibit activities like conversion of wetland for non-wetland uses including encroachment of any kind, setting up of any industry and expansion of existing industries, manufacture or handling or storage or disposal of hazardous substances and construction and demolition waste, solid waste dumping, discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns, villages and other human settlements.
Why are few environmentalists not happy with these rules? The new Wetland Rules have laudable objectives. However, it falls short in details. At the outset, the identification process by the State Wetland Authority does not distinguish between existing wetlands and especially those past wetlands which have been encroached and can be proved through legal documents. It also does not take into account the Jagpal Singh judgment of Justice Katju for
restoration of encroached wetlands throughout the country. Provisions like “central government may consider proposals from the state
government or union territory administration for omitting any of the (prohibited) activities on the recommendation of the authority” in the new rules can be misused.
Another major objection is about the process of appeal against the decisions of wetland authorities. According to the 2010 rules, anyone aggrieved with the CWRA’s decisions could have filed an appeal with the National Green Tribunal, but the new 2017 rules are silent on the appeal process.
The other big gap is the subjective definition of “wise use” which is to be determined by the state wetland authority. While the subject head talks about restrictions and the activities listed are to be prohibited, the provision gives ample space for undoing everything that ought to be prohibited.
