News In Short-05-10-2024

Shyamji Krishna Varma

Syllabus: GS1/ History

Context

• Prime Minister Modi paid homage to revolutionary freedom fighter Shyamji Krishna Varma on his 95th birth anniversary.

About

• Shyamji Krishna Varma was born on 4 October, 1857 in Gujarat.
• He was an Indian revolutionary fighter, lawyer and journalist.
• To promote the cause of Indian nationalism and freedom, in London he founded the;
  • Indian Home Rule Society 
  • The India House and
  • The Indian Sociologist (a journal for advocating nationalist ideas).

Legacy

• Shyamji Krishna Varma was the first President of Bombay Arya Samaj and was deeply influenced by Dayanand Saraswati.
• He played a role in inspiring Indian revolutionaries like Veer Savarkar, who was also associated with India House in London.
• He also served as the Divan (Prime Minister) for several princely states in India.

Source: AIR

Assam’s ‘co-district’ Initiative

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

In News

• Assam has introduced a unique administrative reform with the launch of “co-districts”, effectively replacing the existing system of civil sub-divisions. 

About

• Co-districts are smaller administrative units below districts, headed by an officer of the rank of Assistant District Commissioner, and are tasked with carrying out powers and responsibilities similar to those of District Commissioners. 
• The move is aimed at addressing administrative challenges and improving the efficiency of governance, with a focus on the vision of minimum government, maximum governance.
• Co-district commissioners will handle matters related to land, MLA funds, implementation of government schemes, and more, making these services accessible locally without visiting the district headquarters.
• This would expected to decentralize governance, enhance citizen-centric services, and streamline development efforts across the state

Source: IE

Emergency Use Listing (EUL) Procedure

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

In News

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first Mpox (monkeypox) diagnostic test under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure.

About EUL Procedure

• Rapid Evaluation: The EUL procedure allows for a rapid evaluation of medical products to ensure that they meet the necessary quality, safety, and efficacy standards in emergency situations.
• Temporary Authorization: Products listed under the EUL are granted temporary authorization for use while further data and studies are collected.
• Support for Global Access: EUL approval facilitates global access to critical medical products, particularly in countries or regions facing limited healthcare resources or under-served populations.
• The EUL procedure has been widely used during recent global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, to expedite the availability of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments that meet WHO standards.

Source: IE

International Medical Device Regulators Forum

Syllabus: GS2/ International Organization

Context

• India has become an affiliate member of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF).

International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF)

• IMDRF is a voluntary group of medical device regulators from around the world.
• It was established in 2011 to accelerate international medical device regulatory harmonization and convergence, building on the foundational work of its predecessor, the Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF).
• IMDRF members: It includes national regulatory authorities from the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, China, South Korea, Singapore, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Source: PIB

RBI’s Report of the Committee on MIBOR Benchmark

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Reserve Bank of India released a report recommending changes in methodology of the Mumbai Interbank Outright Rate (MIBOR). 

About

• The report proposes a change to a new benchmark referred to as the Secured Overnight Rupee Rate (SORR).
• This new rate is based on secured transactions in the money market, rather than unsecured interbank lending, providing more stability and reducing risks associated with it.

What is Mumbai Interbank Outright Rate (MIBOR)?

• It was introduced by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in 1998 as a part of efforts to develop India’s interbank money market.
• MIBOR is meant to capture the overnight borrowing rate between banks and helps in determining the cost of borrowing for financial institutions
• It serves as a benchmark for various financial instruments, such as floating rate bonds, interest rate swaps, and other debt instruments.
  • MIBOR plays a crucial role in determining the cost of capital for businesses and banks.

Source: BS

The Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for 2022-23 

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for 2022-23 has been released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

About

• Annual Survey of Industries is conducted to provide insight into the change in composition, growth and structure of various manufacturing industries in terms of output, value added, employment, and capital formation. 
• It provides valuable input to the National Accounts Statistics at national and state level.

Major Highlights

• Gross Value Added (GVA) grew by 7.3% in current prices in the year 2022-23 over 2021-22.
  • Among the major states, in terms of GVA, Maharashtra ranked first followed by Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. 
• The total number of employees in manufacturing industries increased by 7.5 per cent.
  • The highest employment was recorded in factories producing food products, followed by textiles, basic metals, wearing apparel and motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers
• The main drivers of the manufacturing growth were industries related to basic metal, coke & refined petroleum products, food products, chemical and chemical products and motor vehicles.

Source: PIB

National Agriculture Code (NAC)

Syllabus: G3/Agriculture

Context

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has begun the process of formulating a National Agriculture Code (NAC), on the lines of the existing National Building Code and National Electrical Code.

About

• BIS: It  is the national body which sets standards for different products across various economic sectors. 
  • In agriculture, it has already set standards for machinery (tractors, harvesters, etc.) and various inputs (fertilisers, pesticides, etc.)
  • However, there are still many areas not covered by the BIS standards. 
• The NAC will cover the entire agriculture cycle, and will also contain a guidance note for future standardisation.
  • The code will have two parts. The first will contain general principles for all crops, and the second will deal with crop-specific standards for the likes of paddy, wheat, oilseeds, and pulses. 
  • The NAC will serve as a guide for farmers, agriculture universities, and officials involved in the field.
  • In addition to standards for agriculture machinery, the NAC will cover all agriculture processes and post-harvest operations.

Source: IE

Charon

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T, Space

In News

• The James Webb Space Telescope has detected carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Charon, Pluto’s largest moon.

About 

• Pluto, previously the ninth planet, was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 after the discovery of similar objects beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt.
  • The Kuiper Belt is a region of space located beyond the planet Neptune, extending from approximately 30 to 55 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. It is home to a vast collection of icy bodies and dwarf planets, including Pluto, and is considered part of the outer Solar System.
• Charon, discovered in 1978, is Pluto’s largest moon, with a diameter of approximately 1,200 kilometers, making it about half the size of Pluto. Charon and Pluto engage in a distinctive orbital dance, rotating around a central point.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

• The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest and most powerful space telescope, designed to study the early universe by detecting infrared light.
• Webb differs from the Hubble Telescope, which primarily observes visible and ultraviolet light. Webb can detect galaxies obscured by dust or too distant for Hubble to observe, allowing a deeper look into star formation and cosmic evolution.

Source: TOI

Cyber Commandos Training for Police

Syllabus: GS3/Cyber Security

Context

• The IIT- Madras Pravartak has launched a cyber commandos training for police.  

About

• The six-month residential programme is an initiative of the Union Home Ministry and will focus on specialised cyber training. 
• The programme is for the law enforcement force across the nation. 
• While the existing cybercrime cells focus on reactive measures such as investigation and prosecution of cybercrimes, the commandos will be a proactive force. 
  • The participants will learn how to proactively detect cyberattcks and use forensic technologies to develop defences. 
• IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation is a Section 8 company housing a technology innovation hub on sensors, networking, actuators and control systems.
  • It is funded by the department of science and technology under its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and hosted by IIT Madras.

Source: TH

Navika Sagar Parikrama II Expedition

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• Chief of the Naval Staff flagged off the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition from Ocean Sailing Node, INS Mandovi, Goa.

About

• Navika Sagar Parikrama II will be covering four continents, through three Oceans and three challenging Capes in 240 days and travelling 23,400 nautical miles.
  • The expedition would be from Goa to Fremantle, Australia and then Fremantle to Lyttleton, New Zealand.
  • It is the first-ever global circumnavigation onboard by two women Naval Officers, marking a significant event.
• It will contribute towards progressing national scientific research in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography for study on marine microplastics and ferrous content across the seas.

Source: TH