16.10.20 Daily PPSC Current Affairs

PUNJAB

 

240% rise in Punjab farm fires: Centre

 

Punjab accounted for 82% of stubble burning cases among three states, along with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, between October 1 and 23, which contributed heavily to foul air choking the NCR, the Centre said.

 

Farmers agitation against the farm bills were identified as one of the major reasons for crop burning in Punjab. Farmers in districts where more burning events are reported grow vegetable crops in between the season of paddy harvesting and wheat sowing. In order to prepare fields for vegetable plantation in a short window, they prefer to burn paddy stubbles

 

On the status of supply of machinery to farmers to take out stubble from fields, the Centre said in the last two years, more than 1,12,162 machines were supplied to individual farmers and custom hiring centres (Punjab 51,762, Haryana 36,821and Uttar Pradesh 23,579).

INTERNATIONAL

Global Handwashing Day: 15 October

Global Handwashing Day is observed on October 15 each year to raise awareness and highlight the importance of handwashing as an effective means of disease prevention.

This year it marks a critical reminder for the world that this simple, cost-effective practice can save lives.

Handwashing has always been one of the most effective ways of keeping diseases at bay and is also one of the key cornerstones of COVID-19 prevention.

Australia to join Malabar Naval exercise with India, US and Japan

Australia will join the Malabar naval exercise involving India, US and Japan.

The exercise showcases the deep trust between four major Indo-Pacific democracies and their shared will to work together on common security interests.

The Annual Naval Exercise Malabar-2020 is expected to be held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea later this year.

This year, the exercise has been planned on a ‘non-contact-at sea’ format.

The Malabar series of Naval exercises started in 1992 as a bilateral Indian Navy-US Navy exercise and Japan joined the Naval exercise in 2015.

 

NATIONAL

Anti-pollution measures under GRAP to come into force in Delhi-NCR region

 

Anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) came into force in the Delhi-NCR region.

Delhi Government has banned use of electricity generators, except those needed for essential or emergency services, in the national capital.

GRAP includes the measures which will be taken by different government agencies to prevent worsening of Air Quality of Delhi-NCR and prevent PM10 and PM2.5 levels to go beyond the ‘moderate’ national Air Quality Index (AQI) category.

The plan requires action and coordination among 13 different agencies in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan (NCR areas).

 

India’s first Oscar winner Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya passes away

 

India’s first Oscar winner Costume designer Bhanu Athaiya died.

Kolhapur-born Athaiya, who was active till just five years ago, began her career as a costume designer in Hindi cinema with Guru Dutt’s 1956 superhit “C.I.D.”. She went on to work in over 100 films.

She jointly won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design with John Mollo, for Richard Attenborough’s “Gandhi”. The lavish biopic of Mahatma Gandhi swept the Oscars with eight awards.

In 2012, Athaiya returned her Oscar to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for safe keeping.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launches AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme

 

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme.

The scheme is a unique way to assist cooperatives play an important role in creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country.

AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme has been formulated by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).

NCDC would extend term loans to prospective cooperatives to the tune of 10 thousand crore in the coming years.

NCDC’s Ayushman Sahakar scheme aims at bringing transformation in the health services primarily in the rural areas.

The scheme also provides working capital and margin money to meet operational requirements of the health facilities. It provides interest subvention of one percent to women majority cooperatives.

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone for country’s first-ever multi-modal logistic park in Assam

 

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari virtually laid the foundation stone for the first-ever multi-modal logistic park of the country in Assam.

The 694 crore rupees park at Bongaigaon district will provide direct connectivity to air, road, rail and waterways to the people of Assam.

It will be developed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana of the Centre.

The fund for the multimodal logistics park would be spent in 3 components – road and railway connectivity as well as building and infrastructure work.

 

NK Singh launches his autobiography ‘Portraits Of Power’

 

Veteran Economist and bureaucrat N K (Nand Kishore) Singh has released his autobiography titled “Portraits of Power: Half a Century of Being at Ringside”.

Singh is currently serving as the Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission.

The book portrays the life of NK Singh who played an active role in the development of the Indian economy.

The book portrays NK Singhs’s stents from 1964 when he joined the Indian Administrative Service(IAS), serving in higher positions of the Indian Government before entering politics as a member of Rajya Sabha.

 

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