Daily Current Capsules

28 and 29 September 2023

Milad-un-Nabi

• Eid-e-Milad was celebrated across the nation on September 28.
• Eid-e-Milad —the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad
• Milad-un-Nabi is being observed in Rabi al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar.
• This festival is observed by Sunni Muslims on the 12th day of Rabi’ al-awwal, while Shia Muslims observe it on the 17th day of Rabi’ al-awwal, according to the Gregorian calendar based on the sighting of the crescent moon.

Cell Broadcast Alert System testing

The DOT in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will be conducting comprehensive testing of the Cell Broadcast Alert System.

This initiative aims to bolster emergency communication during disasters and prioritize the safety and well-being of our esteemed citizens.

Cell Broadcast Alert System

• The Cell Broadcast Alert System represents a cutting-edge technology that empowers us to disseminate critical and time-sensitive disaster management messages to all mobile devices within specified geographical areas, regardless of whether the recipients are residents or visitors.
• This ensures that crucial emergency information reaches as many individuals as possible promptly.
• Government agencies and emergency services employ Cell Broadcast to inform the public about potential threats and provide vital updates during critical situations.
• Common applications of Cell Broadcast include delivering emergency alerts such as severe weather warnings (e.g., Tsunamis, Flash Floods, Earthquakes), public safety messages, evacuation notices, and other critical information.

Draft Development and Building Regulations

• A 2-day Workshop on Draft Development and Building Regulations, 2022 for the National Capital Territory of Delhi was organized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India

The objective of the Workshop was to:  

• Disseminate the Draft Development and Building Regulations prepared by BIS in line with the National Building Code of India 2016 (NBC 2016)
• Bring uniformity in structuring and detailing of provisions in the regulations
• Pave way to orderly development and ensure safety, sustainability, durability and accessibility in buildings and built environment.

National Building Code of India (NBC)

• The National Building Code of India (NBC of India) is formulated and published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
• The National Building Code of India (NBC), a comprehensive building Code, is a national instrument providing guidelines for regulating the building construction activities across the country.
• It serves as a Model Code for adoption by all agencies involved in building construction works be they Public Works Departments, other government construction departments, local bodies or private construction agencies.
• The Code mainly contains administrative regulations, development control rules and general building requirements; fire safety requirements; stipulations regarding materials, structural design, and construction (including safety); building and plumbing services; approach to sustainability; and asset and facility management.
• The Code was first published in 1970 at the instance of the Planning Commission and then first revised in 1983. Thereafter three major amendments were issued to the 1983 version, two in 1987 and the third in 1997.
• The second revision of the Code was in 2005, to which two amendments were issued in 2015.

Uttar Pradesh Achieves 100% ODF Plus Coverage under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen

• Uttar Pradesh has achieved yet another major milestone under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II with all 95, 767 villages in the State i.e., 100% villages achieving ODF Plus status under Phase II of the Mission.
• As on date, 4.4 lakh (75%) villages across the nation have declared themselves ODF Plus, which is a significant step towards achieving the SBM-G phase II goals by 2024-25
• This achievement of 100 % is marked during ongoing Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) – 2023 campaign.
• SHS is celebrated annually from 15th September to 2nd October under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Drinking Water & Sanitation Department, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

ODF Plus Model village

• An ODF Plus Model village is one which is sustaining its ODF status and has arrangements for both Solid Waste Management and Liquid Waste Management; and observes visual cleanliness, i.e., minimal litter, minimal stagnant wastewater, no plastic waste dump in public places; and displays ODF Plus Information, Education & Communication (IEC) messages.
• The achievement of 100% ODF Plus villages is a significant milestone, as State has moved from ODF to ODF Plus in Swachh Bharat Mission Phase II.

The major components of the Phase-II of SBM (G) are

• Sustaining Open Defecation Free Status (ODF-S)
• Solid (Bio-degradable) Waste Management
• Plastic Waste Management (PWM)
• Liquid Waste Management (LWM)
• Faecal Sludge Management (FSM)
• GOBARdhan
• Information Education and Communication/Behavior Change Communication (IEC/BCC)
• Capacity Building.

Tashkent International Film Festival

• Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting will lead an Indian Delegation to the Tashkent International Film Festival, at Tashkent, Uzbekistan
• Known as the “ Pearl of The Silk Road” , the Tashkent International Film Festival was started in 1968, and the Indian film Amrapali was screened in the opening edition of the festival.
• Relations between Uzbekistan and India have their roots deeper in history.
• In recent years, there has been significant intensification in bilateral ties
• To create an enriching filming ecosystem and a future-ready Industry with ongoing growth prospects in India for the world, India has been keen to co-produce movies, exchange the understanding and techniques of cinema, and develop ways to make our cinema/industries inclusive.

Cable Television Network Rules, 1994

• The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a notification amending the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, thereby introducing a procedure for the renewal of Multi-System Operator (MSO) Registrations.

The salient features of the amended Rules for MSO Registration are:- 

1. MSOs shall apply for the registration or renewal of registration online at the Broadcast Seva Portal of MIB.
2. MSO registrations shall be granted or renewed for a period of ten years;
3. The processing fee of Rs. One lakh is kept for the renewal of registration;
4. The application for renewal of registration shall be within a window of seven to two months before the expiry of the registration.

Multiple System Operator

• Multiple System Operator, also referred to as a multi-system operator, is a designation often used for cable companies that offer services beyond television broadcast.
• Many MSOs offer a “triple play” of internet and telephone service alongside their traditional cable television offerings.

India is committed to achieve the Net Zero emissions target by 2070

• India is committed to achieve the Net Zero emission target by 2070, as announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

India is set to achieve its short-term and long-term targets under the Panchamrit action plan, like-

1. reaching a non-fossil fuel energy capacity of 500 GW by 2030;
2. fulfilling at least half of its energy requirements via renewable energy by 2030;
3. reducing CO2 emissions by 1 billion tons by 2030;
4. reducing carbon intensity below 45 percent by 2030; and
5. finally, pave the way for achieving a Net-Zero emission target by 2070.

Steps taken by India

• Prime Minister of India at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Glasgow, United Kingdom in November 2021, expressed to intensify India’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) by presenting to the world five nectar elements (Panchamrit) of India’s climate action plan.
• Prime Minister of India asserted the need to follow a sustainable lifestyle and emphasized on the idea of making ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ (LiFE) a global mission through bolder steps by the global clean energy fraternity.
• Mission Innovation (MI) and International Solar Alliance, were announced at COP21 in 2015, when the United Nations conferred on him the ‘Champions of Earth Award 2018.’
• Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 23 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) to accelerate the Clean Energy revolution and progress towards the Paris Agreement goals and pathways to net zero.
• India is a founding member of Mission Innovation.
• The first phase of Mission Innovation (MI) (2015-2020) was announced at COP21 on November 30, 2015.
• In the first phase of Mission Innovation, India led three MI Innovation Challenges, such as Smart Grids, Off Grid Access to Electricity, and Sustainable Biofuels, and hosted many workshops.
• The government of India through Public-Private Partnerships is ensuring the funding for clean energy innovations as envisioned under Mission Innovation 2.0.
• The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) setup has been able to provide a unique opportunity for India to showcase its contribution to clean energy development
• Major CEM initiatives include CEM’s Global Lighting Challenge (GLC) campaign, Street Lighting National Programme, Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) program and the ‘One Sun-One World-One Grid’ Initiative which was first floated by the Prime Minister of India to harness the tremendous potential of solar energy.
• The Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) to be led by India, Brazil and the United States, as leading biofuel producers and consumers, will greatly help achieve the MDG Goals of India turning Net Zero by 2070.
• India has committed to ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of reducing emission intensity by 33-35% in 2030 against the levels of year 2005.
• India also launched the National Hydrogen Energy Mission to enable cost-competitive green hydrogen production.
• India is among the few countries in the world to design a Cooling Action Plan (CAP) with a long-term vision (spanning a 20-year period from 2017-18 to 2037-38) that addresses cooling requirements across sectors.
• CAP identifies possible actions to reduce cooling demand arising from residential and commercial buildings, cold chains, etc., covering aspects of building design and technological innovations that do not compromise on energy efficiency

Technical Textiles

• Union Minister of Textiles said that Industry and Institute’s pro-active and robust engagement is essential for the indigenous development of technical textiles in India
• Ministry of Textiles approved 18 R&D projects worth INR 46.74 crores across key strategic areas of Geotech, Protech, Indutech, Sustainable Textiles, Sportech, Smart E-Textiles, Meditech segments

Know! about technical textile

• Technical textiles are defined as textile materials and products used primarily for their technical performance and functional properties rather than their aesthetic or decorative characteristics.
• This is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Textile Industry, which is manufacturing high-tech, high-performance fabric designed not just to look attractive, but to present a significant added value in terms of functionality.
• The textile coating process is widely used in the manufacturing of technical textiles.
• Technical textiles can be divided into many categories, depending on their end-use

India retains 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2023

India retains 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

• India has been on a rising trajectory, over the past several years in the Global Innovation Index (GII), from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2023.
• The GII is a reliable tool for governments across the world to assess the innovation-led social and economic changes in their respective countries.
• The country ranked first among the 37 lower-middle group income and first among the 10 economies in Central and South America.
• India maintains its 40th position overall and takes the helm in the lower middle-income group.
• It holds the record for overperforming on innovation for the 13th consecutive year.
• India holds top rankings in key indicators, including ICT services exports (at place 5), VC received (6), graduates in science and engineering (11) and global corporate R&D investors (13),” read a press state from the GII.
• The GII tracks the innovation ecosystem performance of 132 global economies and the most recent global innovation trends.
• In 2015, India stood at the 81st spot and has been rising in the past eight years.

National Service Scheme Awards

• The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu presented the National Service Scheme Awards for the year 2021-2022 at Rashtrapati Bhavan
• The NSS Awards, instituted by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, are presented every year to the NSS Volunteers, Programme Officers, NSS Units, and the Universities/+2 Councils to recognize their voluntary service.

Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and Technology & Bharatiya Bhasha Summit

• Union Minister for Education launched a two-day Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav and Technology & Bharatiya Bhasha Summit
• Objective To set the course for a technologically enriched future for Bharatiya languages in education.
• The Government of India has proposed to celebrate the birthday of renowned Tamil poet and freedom fighter Mahakavi Chinnaswami Subramania Bharati as Bharatiya Bhasha Divas (11 December).
• The Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav will be held from 28th September 2023 to 11th December 2023.

The summit, organized as part of the Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav, will encompass three pivotal thematic sessions:

1. Technology FOR Bharatiya Languages
2. Technology IN Bharatiya Languages
3. Technology THROUGH Bharatiya Languages.

• These themes emphasize the integration of technology in promoting Bharatiya Bhasha, including its role in teaching, training, examination, and translating educational materials.
• The summit aims to facilitate a seamless transition from the current education ecosystem to one rooted in Bharatiya Languages, in line with the NEP-2020 vision.
• NEP2020 has formally included Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) for the first time.
• The summit was organised jointly by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), and their constituent institutions

India Economic Conclave

• Minister of State for Skill Development addressed the 6^th edition of the India Economic Conclave, hosted by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• The India Economic Conclave, organized by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, served as a platform for discussions on India’s rise towards the world’s third-largest economy and its pivotal role in the Indo-Pacific corridor.
• The  Minister for Development of North East Region, Tourism, and Culture, launched India’s first 5G training labs and 5G applications in health sector in all the eight North Eastern States.
• The project is centrally funded through North East Council (NEC) and being implemented by Assam Electronic Development Corporation (AMTRON), a PSU of Assam government.

Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry

• It is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group based in West Bengal, India.
• It is the oldest chamber of commerce in India and one of the oldest in Asia.
• Established in 1853, finding its origin in 1833–34, it is the only such institution in India.
• The members include corporations and industries of all sizes, professionals, divisions of large multinational corporations and service industry organizations.

Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL)

• A two-day National Conference on ‘Millets for Military Ration and Specific Nutritional Requirements’ was inaugurated by Raksha Rajya Mantri
• The conference has been organised by Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), the Mysuru-based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The conference will deliberate on the scientific facts for the adoption of millets-based food for the Services, exploring millets for sustainable agro-processing practices at terrains of troop deployment

Know! about DFRL

• DFRL is researching various aspects of food science and technologies such as the development of convenience foods, preservation of foods, nutritional and biochemical evaluation, food safety, and food packaging.
• It conducts research and development of technologies and products in the area of food science and technology to cater the varied food challenges for the Indian Armed Forces.
• DFRL is organized under the Life Sciences Directorate of DRDO.

PROJECT UDBHAV

• The Indian Army in collaboration with the United Service Institution of India (USI), concluded a hybrid-panel discussion under Project Udbhav on the topic “Evolution of Indian Military Systems, War fighting and Strategic Thought- Current Research in the Field and Way Forward”.

Know! all about Project Udbhav

• Project Udbhav is an initiative set in motion by the Indian Army to rediscover the profound Indic heritage of statecraft and strategic thoughts derived from ancient Indian texts of statecraft, warcraft, diplomacy and grand strategy.
• The project endeavours to explore India’s rich historical narratives in the realms of statecraft and strategic thoughts.
• It focuses on a broad spectrum including Indigenous Military Systems, Historical Texts, Regional Texts and Kingdoms, Thematic  Studies, and intricate Kautilya Studies.
• This pioneering initiative stands testimony to the Indian Army’s recognition of India’s age-old wisdom in statecraft, strategy, diplomacy, and warfare.
• At its core, Project Udbhav seeks to bridge the historical and the contemporary.
• The goal is to understand the profound depths of indigenous military systems, their evolution, strategies that have been passed down through the ages, and the strategic thought processes that have governed the land for millennia.
• The Aim of Project Udbhav is not limited to just rediscovering these narratives but also to also develop an indigenous strategic vocabulary, which is deeply rooted in India’s multifaceted philosophical and cultural tapestry.
• Overall aim is to integrate age-old wisdom with modern military pedagogy.
• Since 2021, under the aegis of the Indian Army, there has been a project in progress on the compilation of Indian stratagems based on ancient texts.
• A book has been released under this project which lists 75aphorisms selected from ancient texts.

United Service Institution of India (USI)

• It is a national security and defence services think tank based in New Delhi, India.
• It describes its aim as the “furtherance of interest and knowledge in the art, science and literature of the defence services”.
• USI operates centres for research in various areas of national security.
• The USI Journal, published quarterly since 1872, is the oldest defence journal in Asia.
• The United Service Institution was established in 1870 by Major General Sir Charles MacGregor in Shimla.
• It was founded as a society in the furtherance of interest and knowledge in the art, science and literature of the Defence Services.

Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority

• To facilitate farmers and traders in providing low-interest rate loans, Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bank of India (BoI).
• The MoU was signed with the intent of promoting awareness to fund against e-NWRs (electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt).
• The MoU also aims to provide information to depositors of the benefits, besides doing further outreach activities to improve agricultural pledge finance in India.

Know! about Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority

• The Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) was setup by the Government of India on 26.10.2010 to ensure implementation of the provisions of the Warehousing (Development & Regulation) Act, 2007.
• The main objective of WDRA is to implement Negotiable Warehouse Receipt (NWR) System in the country, which would help farmers to store their produce in scientific storage godowns near by their farms and to seek loan from banks against their NWR.
• The main functions of the Authority are to make provisions for the development and regulation of warehouses which interalia includes negotiability of warehouse receipts, registration of warehouses, promotion of scientific warehousing of goods, improving fiduciary trust of depositors and banks, enhancing liquidity in rural areas and promoting efficient supply chain.

TIR Executive Board (TIRExB)

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Finance, in association with the Ministry of External Affairs organised an event for ambassadors and delegates from Contracting Parties to the Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets(TIR Convention, 1975) to canvass support for India’s candidature for TIR Executive Board (TIRExB), elections for which are scheduled to be held during the 81st session of the TIR Administrative Committee on 11.10.2023, at Palais des Nations, Geneva.

Know! about TIR Convention

• TIR Convention, 1975 is an international harmonised system of Customs control, which enables seamless transport of goods crossing multiple international borders using a single customs document (TIR Carnet) and a unified system of guarantee.
• It has 78 Contracting Parties, including India.
• More than 33,000 operators are authorized to use the TIR system and around 1.5 million TIR transports are carried out per year.
• The TIR Executive Board (TIRExB) is a subsidiary body of the TIR Administrative Committee.
• It supervises and provides support in the application of the TIR procedure.
• It is composed of 9 members, each from different Contracting Parties.
• India is a significant trading nation in the Asia Pacific region and a key participant in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
• Since its accession to the Convention in 2017, India has taken several measures to promote the use of TIR.

World Heart Day

• World Heart day is an important annual event, witnessed every year on 29th September.
• The day is celebrated by organizing various activities and awareness events globally to raise awareness about heart disease and its preventive measures to manage cardiovascular diseases.

Importance of World Heart Day

• The heart is one of the vital organs of the human body, malfunctioning of it may lead to fatality, so it is essential for everyone to take care of heart health. Due to lack of awareness about cardiovascular health and certain lifestyle habits, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is one of the leading reason for mortality worldwide.
• Every year, around 1.7 crores people die due to cardiovascular disease, accounting approx 31% of all global mortality.
• This year 2023, the World Heart Day theme is “Use Heart, Know Heart”, a reminder call to everyone around the world to take care of their hearts.
• The idea of having Heart Day globally was introduced by the Antoni Baie de Luna, former president of the World Health Federation, based on his ideas along with the collaboration of World Health Organization, World Heart Day was established in 1999.

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