Current Affairs Exam

US panel for India as sixth ‘NATO Plus’ member

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US next month, a Congressional committee has recommended the addition of India to the list of five non-European nations that comprise NATO Plus.

The House Select Committee, also called the China committee, has reasoned that winning the strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and ensuring the security of Taiwan demands the US strengthen ties to our allies and security partners, including India. Including India in NATO Plus security arrangements would build upon the US and Indias close PARTNERSHIP to strengthen global security and deter the aggression of the CCP across the Indo-Pacific region.

Bringing India on board will facilitate seamless intelligence sharing among these countries and India would access the latest military technology without a time lag

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India has taken an initiative to aid those affected byCyclone Mochain Myanmar by launchingOperation Karuna.On May 18th, three ships, namely Indian Naval ShipsShivalik, Kamorta,andSavitri, arrived in Yangon with emergency relief material such as food supplies, tents, essential medicines, water pumps, portable generators, clothes, and hygiene items.

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

India has always been at the forefront in supporting its neighbors during such disasters, highlighting its commitment to ensuring security and Growth for all in the region.

Cyclone Mocha, which recently hit Myanmar, has been classified as an extremely severe cyclonic storm by the IMD and a Super Cyclone by the global

weather website Zoom Earth.

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Panel of state ministers to examine valuation of services by casinos, online gaming for GST

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The government has set up a panel of state ministers for better valuation of Services ofcasinos,online gamingportal and race courses for levying goods and services tax (GST).

The seven-member panel, convened by Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, will also examine whether any change is required in the legal provision for better means of valuation of these services.

It will also examine the administration of such valuation provisions and if an alternative means of valuation is recommended.

The panel would also look into the impact of such valuation on other similarly placed services like lottery.

The Ministry of Power has decided to establish a National Mission to promote the use of in coal-fired thermal power Plants.

Increase the level of co-firing from the current 5% to higher levels in order to have a greater share of carbon neutral power generation from thermal power plants.

Conduct R&D in boiler design to handle the higher levels of silica and alkalis in biomass pellets.

To make it easier to overcome constraints in the supply chain of bio mass pellets and agro- residue, as well as their

transport to power plants.

Subodh Kumar Jaiswal takes charge as CBI director

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, a 1985 batchIPSofficer serving as CISF DG, on Wednesday took charge as theCBIdirector.

TheCentral Bureau of Investigationwas working without a regular chief for over three months afterRishi Kumar Shuklacompleted his two-year tenure on February 3.

Jaiswal, ex-Maharashtra DGP and former Mumbai top cop, was the seniormost officer in the panel.

At $15 billion, Indias trade deficit shrinks to 20-month low in April

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

Indias narrowed to a 20-month low of $15. 2 billion in April as goods imports and exports shrank in the wake of lower commodity prices amid weak demand in Europe and the US.

Latest data released by the commerce department pegged goods exports at $34. 7 billion, which was 12. 6% lower than a year ago and the steepest fall since August 2020 when it crashed 12. 7%. It was also the third straight monthly decline.

Similarly, imports contracted 14. 1% to $49. 9 billion the sharpest fall since the 33% decline last October and marked the first time since August 2021 when the monthly value of shipments coming into the country was under $50 billion, according to data available with the government and theRBI.

The

government is drawing comfort from the Services export numbers, which have so far bucked the trend. During April, services exports were estimated to have increased 26% to $30. 4 billion, while imports were pegged at $16. 5 billion, a 17% increase.

Besides, the commerce ministry revised the trade numbers for the last financial year. Export of goods and services in 2022-23 is estimated to have increased 14. 7% to $775. 9 billion, around $6 billion higher than the earlier estimate. Imports were around $894. 2 billion, 17. 7% higher, resulting in a trade deficit of $118. 3 billion.

The numbers also showed that goods exports increased 6. 7% to cross the $450-billion mark for the first time, while imports were estimated to have gone up 16. 5% to $714 billion during the last fiscal year.

Cool summer can impact monsoon onset: Experts

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

A coolsummeror pre-monsoon season this year can impact the onset and progress of the southwest rains in India, top weatherexpertsare of the view.

If the landmass of India tends to cool down during summer, as happened this year, the temperature gradient between the land and sea decreases. This can lead to a delay in the onset of the southwestmonsoonover the Indian subcontinent, which normally sets overKeralaaround June 1.

The evolution of wind and convective patterns in the Asia-Pacific region are also important. A cyclone is also soon likely to form over the Bay of Bengal. This can play an important role in the evolution of thermal, dynamic and convective patterns, leading to monsoon onset over the region. The next few days would be crucial to determine the timing of the monsoon onset this year . IMDs forecast on monsoon onset will be released soon,

based on these parameters.

Atmospheric Rivers caused 70 per cent of India’s floods between 1985 and 2020, says study

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The devastatingfloodsthat occurred in the country between 1985 and 2020 during the summermonsoonseason were directly associated with Atmospheric Rivers, a phenomenon of a stream of water vapour moving in the sky like a river flowing on the land, says a new study.
It says severe weather events like the 2013 Uttarakhand floods and the 2018 floods in Kerala that claimed several lives were all due to severe Atmospheric Rivers (ARs).

The study, jointly conducted by Climate scientists from the Indian Institute

of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, the National institute of technology, Srinagar, and the University of Washington, says a warming climate is increasing the moisture-holding capacity of Atmospheric Rivers, which leads to concerns about more devastating floods in the future.

Indiahas announced that it will participate in theInternational Civil Aviation Organisations (ICAO)Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation(CORSIA)and the Long-Term Aspirational Goals (LTAG) from 2027. The decision was made at a meeting of the Parliaments Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation held in New Delhi and chaired by the Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia.

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

ICAOs Focus on Reducing Carbon Emissions:

ICAO has been tasked with reducing carbon emissions from international civil aviation. To achieve this goal, the global body has adopted several key aspirational goals, including a two per cent annual fuel efficiency improvement through 2050, carbon neutral Growth, and net zero by 2050. These goals are clubbed under CORSIA and LTAG.

CORSIA is to be implemented in three phases, and financial implications due to offsetting have to be borne by individual airlines, depending upon their international operations. It is applicable only to flights originating from one country to another.

ICAO is an intergovernmental specialized agency associated with the

United Nations (UN) that was established in 1947 by the Convention on International Civil Aviation (1944) known as the Chicago Convention. The headquarters of ICAO is located in Montreal, Canada.

International Monsoons Project Office Launched By GoI

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

On National Science Day 2022, the govt has launched an international Monsoons Project Office.

Highlights:

Dr. Jitendra Singh had launched it, MoS (Independent Charge) Science

& Technology; Earth Sciences; PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Nuclear Energy, and Space.

Initially, the International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO) is based at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune for five years.

The IMPO was found to spotlight the importance of monsoons for the state’s economy.

Under the World Climate Research Program Leadership and the World Weather Research Program, IMPO would identify and foster connections and activities associated with international monsoon research.

The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) coordinates the World Weather Research Program and Climate Research Programs.

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Janaushadhi Diwas Week Celebrated In India

June 14, 2024 by rawan239

The Janaushadhi Diwas is organized from 1st to 7th March 2022 by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

Highlights

The 4th Jan Aushadhi

Diwas is celebrated on 7 March,

By the end of March 2025, the Indian Government has set the target to extend the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,500.

The 4th Jan Aushadhi Diwas’s theme is “Jan Aushadhi-Jan Upyogi.”

The objective of this week is to lift awareness about the advantages of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana and, therefore, the usages of generic medicines.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana

In 2008,

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the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to form quality generic medications available to all at affordable prices.

This scheme also looked to boost awareness regarding generic medicine usage within the country.