National Current Affairs – UPSC/IAS Exams- 2nd July 2019

India’s SDG dashboard

Topic: Government Initiatives

In News: In a bid to effectively track the progress on Agenda 2030, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoPSI) launched India’s first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) dashboard.

More on the Topic: 

• The dashboard is a national platform that pulls together reliable data from over 100 different data sets, portals and sectors on to one an easy-to-use, intuitive platform, to power better informed decision making on the SDGs. It has been developed in partnership with the UN in India, DFID India and Social Cops.
• The dashboard will be India’s official data repository of the National Indicator Framework on SDGs, the country’s largest monitoring framework with 306 statistical indicators.
• It provides an aggregated overview of all goals, maps data for over 130 indicators, measures all targets against national benchmarks with state and district filters, and leverages data-driven insights to roll out targeted development plans.
• “The dashboard can help fast-track this journey by helping state governments contextualize, visualize, track and measure their progress towards the goals more effectively”.

About Sustainable Development Goals:

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030. The SDGs are part of Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly, the 2030 Agenda.
• The goals are broad based and interdependent. The 17 sustainable development goals each have a list of targets that are measured with indicators.

The Sustainable Development Goals are:

• No Poverty
• Zero Hunger
• Good Health and Well-being
• Quality Education
• Gender Equality
• Clean Water and Sanitation
• Affordable and Clean Energy
• Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• Reducing Inequality
• Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Responsible Consumption and Production
• Climate Action
• Life Below Water
• Life On Land
• Peace, Justice, and Strong Institution.
• Partnerships for the Goals.

Model Mains question: Write a short note on Sustainable Development Goals. What challenges does India face in meeting these goals.

Source : The Hindu

Indian Aircraft Carriers

Topic: Science and Technology

In News: Over two years after it was decommissioned from service, aircraft carrier Viraat is going to be scrapped, Parliament was informed recently. Efforts to keep it intact by converting it into a museum or other means have not been successful.

More on the Topic:

• INS Viraat could not be handed over to any State Government because of non-receipt of a self-sustaining financially complete proposal. Thus, in view of considerations of safety, security etc., a decision to scrap INS Viraat has been taken in due consultation with Indian Navy.

About Indian Aircraft Carriers:

• India currently has only one aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, which was the erstwhile Russian Admiral Gorshkov, inducted into service in 2013.
• The country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), to be formally named INS Vikrant, is being built in Cochin Shipyard.
• INS Vikrant has been delayed since its approval in 2003, and it is now expected to be out for sea trials only by 2020.
• However, a statement was made that the Navy Headquarters was working on a second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier or IAC-2, which would give India a fleet of three aircraft carriers.

Significance of Aircraft Carriers:

• The ability of a country to project military force away from its shores is largely dependent on the aircraft carriers, which are mainly used for force projection.
• The Indian Navy has reached a minimum essential requirement of two operational aircraft carriers to meet its overall maritime security requirements.
• But the Maritime Capability Perspective Plan of the Navy envisages a force level of three aircraft carriers, to ensure development of a capability to operate two Carrier Battle Groups (CBGs) at any given time.
• CBGs are large task formations centred around a carrier, and provide unmatched flexibility, reach and sustainability.
• These are primary assets for the projection of power, and provide credible deterrence through visibility.
• Also, there is an aggressive effort by China to gain a foothold in the Indian Ocean Region.China currently operates two carriers, and is likely to have four by 2028, with the eventual aim of 10 by 2050.
• This would be a quantum leap for the Chinese Navy, which plans forays deep into the Indian Ocean Region by 2020.
• India’s carrier-based aircrafts can provide limited air defence to the fleet only when operating close to the coast and limited range with inherent time delays.
• Hence, there is a demand for new aircraft carrier that accommodate to the needs of carrier-aircrafts in a changing geopolitical scenario.

Source : The Hindu

Tamil Yeoman

Topic: Environment and Ecology

In News: A Tamil Yeoman (Cirrochroa thais), a butterfly species endemic to Western Ghats, has been declared as the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu.

More on the topic:

• The Tamil yeoman, is a species of nymphalid butterfly, found in forested areas of tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia.
• The Tamil Yeoman is the only member of genus Cirrochroa recorded in Sri Lanka which is round the corner from South India.
• The butterfly can be found throughout the island specially up to 1200 meters above sea level and is common in forest areas.
• The butterfly lays its eggs on larval host plants which belong to the family Flacourtiaceae. This is a family of chiefly tropical trees and shrubs having flowers with numerous stamens.

Source : The Hindu

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)

Topic: Government Policies

In News: A distribution camp of Physical Aids & Assistive Devices to Citizens under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) was held recently.

More on the Topic:

• The scheme is fully funded by the Central Government.
• The scheme will be distributing free of cost physical aids and assisted-living devices for senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
• It will be implemented through the sole implementing agency ‘Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU under Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• The eligible elderly beneficiary will get devices such as walking sticks, elbow crutches, walkers/crutches, tripods/qadpods, hearing aids, wheelchair, aificial Dentures and Spectacles.
• The devices will help the Senior Citizens to overcome their age related physical impairment and to lead a dignified and productive life with minimal dependence on care givers or other members of the family.
• Beneficiaries will be identified by the State Governments/UTs through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner/District Collector.
• The Committee can utilize the data of BPL beneficiaries receiving Old Age Pension under the NSAP or any other Scheme of the State/UTs for identification of senior citizens belonging to BPL category.
• As per the Census of 2011, there are 10.38 crore senior citizens in the country and 5.2% of them suffer from some sort of old age-related disability.
• It is projected that the number of senior citizens will increase to around 173 million by 2026.

Source : The Hindu

One Stop Centre Scheme

Topic: Government Schemes

In News:  The Minstry of Women and Child development said that as many as 462 ‘One Stop Centres’ have been set up in the country in the last three years and over two lakh women have benefitted from it.

More on the Topic:

• One Stop Centres (OSC) are intended to support women affected by violence, in private and public spaces, within the family, community and at the workplace.
• Women facing physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, irrespective of age, class, caste, education status, marital status, race and culture will be facilitated with support and redressal.
• Aggrieved women facing any kind of violence due to attempted sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking, honour related crimes, acid attacks or witch-hunting who have reached out or been referred to the OSC will be provided with specialized services.
• The Scheme will be funded through Nirbhaya Fund . The Central Government will provide 100% financial assistance to the State Government /UT Administrations under the Scheme.

The objectives of the Scheme are:

• To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof.
• To facilitate immediate, emergency and non – emergency access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women.

Model Mains Question: Women empowerment in India needs gender budgeting. Comment.

Source : The Hindu

Japanese Encephalitis

Topic: Health

In News: Japanese Encephalitis has been recently reported in Assam.

More on the Topic:

• It is a mosquito-borne viral infection. It is a flavivirus family related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses.It is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia.
• It will not spread from one person to another.
• There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving severe clinical signs and supporting the patient to overcome the infection.
• Most JEV infections have mild (fever and headache) or without apparent symptoms.
• Approximately 1 in 250 infections results in severe clinical illness. The incubation period is between 4-14 days.
• Safe and effective vaccines are available to prevent JE.‘SA 14-14-2’ vaccine become the most widely used vaccine in endemic countries, and it was prequalified by WHO.
• Since the recent outbreak in Assam, all 27 districts of Assam were covered under the JE vaccination campaign for those aged between 1 to 15 years.
• Migratory birds along with pigs in the community play an important role in the transmission of JE from one area to another.

Source : The Hindu

National Whaling Commission

Topic: Organizations in News

In News: Japan has formally withdrawn from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) after 30 years, and has resumed hunting of whales for commercial purposes.

More on the Topic:

• As an IWC member, Japan halted commercial whaling in 1988 but hunted whales for what it claims were research purposes, a practice criticized internationally as a cover for commercial whaling.
• The IWC was founded in 1948 and Japan joined it in 1951. It was originally composed of whaling nations, but increasing memberships of anti-whaling countries led the Commission to adopt a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982.
• Japan has long sought to lift the moratorium and finally withdrew from the IWC recently after the organization last September voted down its proposal to resume commercial whaling of species considered abundant such as minke whales.
• The country has said that it will hunt whales in nearby waters and within its exclusive economic zone but not in the Antarctic Ocean, where the country had carried out whaling for what it describes as research purposes.

Source : The Hindu