National Current Affairs – UPSC/IAS Exams- 13th September 2019

Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA)

Topic: Government Policies

In News: Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020 has been launched.

More on the Topic: 

• Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) is an initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), of India to systematically rank all major higher educational institutions and universities in India on indicators related to “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development” amongst students and faculties.
• ARIIA ranking will certainly inspire Indian institutions to reorient their mind-set and build ecosystems to encourage high quality research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
• More than quantity, ARIIA will focus on quality of innovations and will try to measure the real impact created by these innovations nationally and internationally.
• Moreover, ARIIA will set tone and direction for institutions for future development for making them globally competitive and in forefront of innovation .

Major Indicators for consideration:

• Budget & Funding Support.
• Infrastructure & Facilities.
• Awareness, Promotions & support for Idea Generation & Innovation.
• Promotion & Support for Entrepreneurship Development.
• Innovative Learning Methods & Courses.
• Intellectual Property Generation, Technology Transfer & Commercialization.
• Innovation in Governance of the Institution.

Significance:

• For India to emerge as a global innovation hub, the youth of our country, especially in higher education institutions (HEIs) need to play a crucial role to create a sustainable innovation ecosystem. Hence, ideally all HEIs should have a comprehensive and functional mechanism to convert research into innovations.
• This ecosystem will encourage, inspire and nurture young students by exposing them to new ideas and processes resulting in innovative activities in their formative years.

Source: Hindu and ariia website

Eurasian Economic Forum

Topic: International Groupings

In News: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) organized the Eurasian Economic Union meeting recently.

More on the Topic:

• The forum called for greater cooperation in the spheres of communication, technology, and development amongst its member-nations.
• The entire event was organized to discuss and deliberate upon China’s Belt and Road Initiative, because of which India, despite being present in the SCO summit, decided to skip this meeting.
• The forum promoted the revival of the ancient Great Silk Road in Eurasia in a new, modern format.
• On the sidelines of this summit, in the meeting on economics and tourism, speakers pushed the idea of the SCO member states’ Eight Wonders Exhibition Tour, in which one historical monument or place corresponding to each member country will be represented on the pamphlet.
• For China, it was the Daming Palace of the Tang dynasty, and
• For India, the monument chosen was the 182-metre Statue Of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

About Belt and Road Initiative:

• It is large infrastructure project unveiled by China in 2017, which plans to connect the three continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.
• The ‘Belt’ part refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt, consisting of three overland routes.
• A link between China, Central Asia, Russia and Europe.
• A link through Central Asia and West Asia linking China with the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.
• A connection from China to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Indian Ocean.
• The ‘Road’ part refers to the 21st century Maritime Silk Road, creating maritime trade channels from China through the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the South Pacific.
• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, an important part of the BRI, passes through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). India perceives it as threat against it’s sovereignty, Hence refuses to join the initiative.

Source: The Hindu

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana

Topic: Government Policies

In News: The Prime Minister has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana, & National Pension Scheme for the Traders and the Self-Employed recently.

More on the Topic:

• The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) aims to secure the lives of 5 crore small and marginal farmers by providing them a minimum pension of ₹3000 per month, who attains the age of 60 years.
• All small and marginal farmers (who own cultivable land up to 2 hectares) as per the land records of the concerned State/UT and are between 18 and 40 years of age are eligible under this scheme.
• Under PM-KMY, monthly contributions by a farmer can be made from the instalments of Pradhan Mantri-Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) or through Common Service Centres (CSCs).

About The National Pension Scheme for the Traders and the Self-Employed:

• The National Pension Scheme for the Traders and the Self-Employed aims at providing a minimum assured pension of ₹ 3000 per month, to small traders and self-employed individuals after they attain the age of 60 years.
• Around 3 crore small traders would be benefitted from this scheme.
• Traders and self-employed persons in the age group of 18-40 years are eligible to join the scheme.
• The monthly contribution under the scheme is of ₹ 55 to ₹ 200, depending on the age of the applicant.
• The self-employed shop owners, retail owners and other traders having an annual turnover of less than ₹ 1.5 crores will only be able to join the scheme.

Source: The Hindu

K2-18b

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: Scientists have found signs of water vapour in the atmosphere of K2-18bplanet.

More on the Topic:

• K2-18b is the only planet orbiting a star outside the Solar System (exoplanet) that is known to have both water and temperatures that could support life.
• However, K2-18b’s size and surface gravity are much larger than Earth’s. Its radiation environment, too, maybe hostile.
• K2-18b orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18, which is about 110 light-years from Earth in the Leo constellation.
• It is eight times the mass of Earth. It was discovered in 2015 by NASA’s Kepler spacecraft.
• It resides in a habitable zone or Goldilocks zone, the area around a star where it is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface of surrounding planets.

Source: The Hindu

Exercise ‘Samudra Laksamana’

Topic: International Relations

In News: The Indian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy will be participating in the bilateral exercise ‘Samudra Laksamana’.

More on the Topic:

• From the Indian side, Indian Navy Ships Sahyadri and Kiltan will participate in the exercise.
• The visit of the IN ships would further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries and contribute to the security and stability in the region.
• INS Sahyadri is a Shivalik-class multi-role guided missile stealth frigate.
• INS Kiltan is a Kamorta-class anti-submarine warfare corvette.
• INS Sahyadri and Kiltan, are the latest, indigenously designed and built multi-role ships of the Indian Navy.

Source: PIB

Government e Marketplace (GeM)

Topic: Government Policies

In News: GeM and Punjab Government sign MoU for Setting up Project Management Unit.

More on the Topic:

• GeM is a state-of-the-art national public procurement platform of Ministry of Commerce and Industries, that has used technology to remove entry barriers for bonafide sellers and has created a vibrant e-marketplace with a wide range of goods and services.
• GeM aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement.
• It facilitates online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Government Departments / Organisations / PSUs.
• It provides the tools of e-bidding, reverse e-auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users, achieve the best value for their money.

Source: The Hindu

Drought-forecasting toolbox

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: ‘Drought-forecasting toolbox’ was unveiled at UNCCD COP14 event.

More on the Topic:

• It aims to track, assess and deliver relevant information concerning climatic, hydrologic and water supply trends.
• It is a kind of knowledge bank that may be used by vulnerable countries, including India, to reduce drought risk, be better prepared and effectively respond to it.
• It is developed through the close partnership among UNCCD, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and global bodies.

Features:

• Easy access to case studies and other resources to support action on drought preparedness
• It aims to boost the resilience of people and ecosystems to drought.
• It will help the countries in framing their respective national drought policies in due course based on monitoring, forecast, and early warning.

Model Mains Question: Comment on the impact of climate change in the economy.

Source: Hindu Business Line