Increase in the Global Hunger Index score

India’s composite Global Hunger Index score has been improved from 38.9 to 27.2 in the year 2020. India was ranked at 94th place among 107 countries in Global Hunger Index.

The Global Hunger Index goals to track starvation at the world, regional and Indian levels. It is an annual record (peer-reviewed) published with the aid of Concern Worldwide of Ireland and Welthungerhilfe (a German non-profit organization).

Global Hunger Index ranks international locations on a 100 point scale, with zero representing zero/no hunger. The GHI scores are based on 4 indicators. They are Undernourishment, Child Stunting, Child Wasting, Child Mortality

Global Hunger Index is Jointly posted through Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. It was first produced in 2006. It is posted each and every October. The 2020 version marks the 15th edition of the GHI.

Hiroshima Day – 6th August

Each and every year 6th of August marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima at some stage in World War II.

The horrific incident took place on 6th August 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy” on Hiroshima in Japan. This bomb attack was achieved with the motive to give up the Second World War in 1945. This day is remembered to promote peace and recognise the chance of nuclear strength and nuclear weapons.

During the 2nd World War, which was energetic in 1939- 1945, the world’s first deployed atomic bomb with more than 9000 kilos uranium-235 was loaded. US B-29 bomber aircraft, the Enola Gay, attacked the Japanese metropolis of Hiroshima on sixth August 1945. The explosion was so large that it right away killed 70,000 humans, wiping 90% of the city and later on, around 10,000 human beings died due to the effect of radiation exposure.

eSARAS fulfillment centre launched to support e-commerce initiatives of SHGs

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna-National Rural Livelihoods Mission(DAY-NRLM) has launched yjreSARAS mobile appwhich is expected to support the E-Commerce initiatives of (SHGs).

eSARAS will be used as as a platform for Marketing products made by Women of self-help groups. It is an initiative conceptualized by the DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), towards the marketing of the best, authentic handicrafts and handlooms.

The eSARAS fulfillment centre will be managed by theFoundation for Development of Rural Value Chains(FDRVC), a not for profit company constituted jointly by the Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trust. This fulfillment centre will be used for processing, packaging and shipping of products that customers purchase through the eSARAS portal and eSARAS mobile app. It will handle the Logistics required to bring an online order to a customer’s doorstep.

eSARAS will be used as as a platform for marketing products made by women of self-help groups. It is an initiative conceptualized by the DAY-NRLM, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), towards the marketing of the best, authentic handicrafts and handlooms.

MHA launches Rs 5k cr scheme for modernization of fire services in states

Ministry of Home Affairs launched the Scheme for expansion and modernization of Fire Services in the states with a total outlay of Rs 5,000 crore.

“The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has launched a ‘Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the States’ from the earmarked allocation of Preparedness and Capacity Building Funding Window under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for strengthening fire services in the States with a total outlay of Rs 5,000 crores.

MHA said that an amount of Rs 500 crore, out of the total outlay, has been kept for incentivizing the States on the basis of their legal and -based reforms. A letter in this regard has been sent to the Chief Secretaries and Heads of Fire Services of all States.

MHA said that the objective of the scheme is to expand and modernize Fire Services in the States with a view that activities for strengthening fire services at the State-level through preparedness and the capacity-building component of the NDRF will be ensured.

US government considers controversial solar geoengineering to counter global warming: Report

The United States is eyeing a controversial tool to counter : Solar radiation management (SRM), whichinvolves reflecting a small fraction of sunlight into space.

In areport released June 30, 2023, the White House stated that public or private actors could carry out activities such as injecting aerosols and brightening marine cloudsto reflect more sunlight into space.

The academia, philanthropy, and the private sector have examined preliminary applications of Climate intervention techniques, such as stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening.

The scientific dimensions of SRM involve new and continued ground-based, airborne, and space-based observations and improving global modelling of SRM approaches and scenarios. They can help in the understanding of the physical processes and outcomes associated with SRM.

Sri Lanka unveils debt restructure to tackle economic crisis

Sri Lanka’s central bank unveiled a far-reaching debt restructuring plan on Thursday aimed at restoring stability after an unprecedented economic crisis last year that led to the toppling of then-presidentGotabaya Rajapaksa.

The move comes after Colombo cut subsidies, doubled taxes and promised to privatise hundreds of state enterprises under a $2.9 billionIMF bailoutagreed in March.

That agreement requires Sri Lanka to reduce its debt servicing by two-thirds in the next four years to balance its books and restore the bankrupt island nation’s finances.

Bilateral lenders were spared but will be asked to extend the maturity of their loans up to 15 years at an annual fixed interest rate of 1.5 percent, with a nine-year moratorium on interest payments.

Circulatory system diseases accounted for 30% deaths in 20

As per 2020 report on medical certification of cause of death (MCCD) compiled by the registrar general of India, maximum number of certified deaths in Bihar occurred due to Circulatory System diseases (30.4%).

Deaths due to Respiratory System diseases andCovidaccounted for 2.4% and 7.3%, respectively, in 2020.

Of the 4,25,047 deaths registered in 2020 in Bihar, only 14,591 were medically certified, the lowest in the country. Category wise illness related deaths are of those which had been certified medically. This is much below the countrys Average of 22.5%. Data on deaths due to various kinds of illnesses suggest that after circulatory system diseases, 10% of the certified deaths were due to the symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings.
The third highest deaths was due to Covid and certain infectious and parasitic diseases. Country-wise figure shows that deaths due to Covid-19 accounted for 8.9% of medically certified deaths.

Gujarat, UP & MP demand full quota of NFSA wheat

The Centre is facing an uneasy situation as three BJP-ruled states Gujarat,Uttar Pradeshand Madhya Pradesh have demanded the restoration of wheat allocation to them under the national scheme,NFSA. The demands have been made at a time when the Centre is struggling to somehow meet the mandatory stocking norms for wheat as on October 1 and March 2023.

Following a record fall in wheat procurement, the Centre on May 14 had reduced wheat allocation under theNational Food Security Act(NFSA) by nearly 40% for 10 states, including these three, to tide over any shortage while claiming that the decision was taken after consultation with state governments.

Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya top startup ecosystems

Gujarat, Karnataka and Meghalaya were the best performers in developing startup Ecosystems for entrepreneurs last year, according to the latest ranking by the Centres Department for Promotion of and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and J&K were in the next category of top performers.

In the previous report in 2019, Gujarat and Andaman and Nicobar Islands were best performers, while Karnataka and Kerala were top performers. There are three other categories: Leaders, aspiring leaders, and emerging startup ecosystems. Tamil Nadu, UP, and Punjab are among the eight states and UTs in the leaders category. TN and UP were in the emerging startup ecosystems category in 2019. Rajasthan, Delhi and MP are among the 11 in the aspiring leaders category.

The study looks at areas like institutional support to startups, access to markets, incubation support and funding support. This year, three areas were added to the framework, including capacity building of enablers, mentorship support and fostering innovation & Entrepreneurship. India has the worlds third biggest startup ecosystem, after the US and China.

The state-specific reports for each of the 31 participating entities include a comprehensive analysis of the respective ecosystem and an overview of the strengths and priority areas for the future. Policy interventions have been high on the governments agenda.

Karnataka was ranked best performer for launching an engineering research and development policy to attract sector-focused incentives, and creating regulatory sandboxes for startups to avail exemption from state and municipal laws.

World Bank Global Findex Database 2021

recently released the Global Findex Database 2021. As per report, account ownership has increased worldwide.

Report notes that, three out of four adults are having a financial account today. Despite that, 1.4 billion adults have no bank account.

In developing countries; wage payment, from private sector or government sector, for 20 percent of adults was made into an account.

Around 91% of these recipients were involved in digital payment from their account.

70 percent of adults used their account to store Money for cash management. Around half of the adult used their account for saving money and half adults used it to borrow money.

Global Findex Database 2021 suggests that, 39% of adults or 57% of those having a financial institution account chose to open their first account at a financial institution in order to receive money from the government or to receive wage payment.