DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Feb. 3, 2023

First G20 Employment Working Group meeting commence at Jodhpur in Rajasthan

Tags: Summits National News

On 2 February the first G20 Employment Working Group meeting began in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

An overview of the news

• The meeting will be held from February 2 to 4 where guest nations including Spain, the Netherlands and Singapore will take part.

• The Employment Working Group under the Indian Chairmanship of the G20 has a mandate to address priority labour, employment and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced and sustainable employment for all.

• The significance of this meeting lies in the fact that the G20 countries represent 85% of world GDP, 3/4 of global trade and almost two-thirds of the world population.

• International organisations like ILO, OECD and ISA, Indian institutions like NITI Aayog and MSDE (Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship), and EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) will also share their views on various topics.

• G20 member states have also been invited to share their interventions on key areas.

• India is hosting over 73 delegates from 19 countries, the European Union and 9 guest countries and 9 regional and international organisations.

Thematic areas of the deliberations

• Addressing global skill gaps

• Gig and platform economy and social protection 

• Sustainable financing of social security

• A panel discussion has also been organised to discuss the Framework for Global Skills and Competency Harmonisation, Common Skills Classification.

World Wetlands Day 2023

Tags: Important Days

World Wetlands Day is observed across the world on 2 February.

An overview of the news

• Wetlands Day marks the signing of a convention called the Ramsar Convention.

• The Convention on Wetlands was adopted on February 2, 1971 in Ramsar, a city in Iran.

• This day is celebrated to raise awareness about wetlands.

• With 75 Ramsar sites spread over an area of over 1.3 million hectares, India has the largest number of wetlands in South Asia.

• The total number of Ramsar sites in the country has increased to 75. Whereas before 2014 it was only 26.

• The theme of World Wetlands 2023 is "It's time for wetlands restoration".

• The theme emphasises the urgent need to prioritise wetland restoration.

• In the Union Budget 2023-24, the government has proposed two schemes – Amrit Dharohar and Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Income (Mishti) – to protect wetlands and mangroves.

What are Wetlands?

• Wetlands are vital not only for the ecosystems but our climate, providing essential services such as water regulation, flood control, and water purification.

• Wetlands are also capable of absorbing carbon dioxide.

• Wetlands are called “Kidneys of the Earth”.

What are Ramsar sites?

• A Ramsar site is a wetland site specifically designated for international importance as a waterfowl habitat under the Ramsar Convention.

• Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental environment treaty established in 1975 by UNESCO.

• Ramsar refers to wetlands of international importance in terms of site ecology, botany, zoology or hydrology.

Government e-Marketplace achieves a Gross Merchandise Value of Rs 1.5 Lakh Crores

Tags: Economy/Finance National News

As of 1 February 2023, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has achieved Rs 1.5 lakh crore of Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in FY23 alone.

An overview of the news

• GeM is well positioned to cross its annual target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore.

• GeM has crossed a gross business value of Rs 3 lakh crore since inception with the support of its stakeholders.

• The total number of transactions on GeM has crossed 1.3 crore.

• GeM has over 66,000 government buyer organisations and over 58 lakh sellers and service providers.

• GeM portal features over 11,000 product categories with more than 29 lakh listed products.

About Government-e-Marketplace (GeM) platform

• Launch -  9 August 2016

• Purpose  - to bring transparency and efficiency in the government buying process

• Nodal Ministry  -  Ministry of Commerce and Industry

• GeM works on inclusion, transparency and efficiency.

• Who registered on GeM - Artisans, weavers, SHGs, startups, women entrepreneurs & MSMEs are registered on GeM

• The portal is open for - all government buyers, Central and State Ministries, departments, public sector enterprises, autonomous institutions, local bodies, etc

• Private buyers cannot buy on the platform but private people can sell products to government bodies by the portal.

MoU signed to develop waste-to-wealth plants in million plus cities

Tags: Environment National News

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Engineers India Limited (EIL) have signed an MoU for construction of waste-to-energy and bio-methanation projects in million plus cities for "Green Growth" of India.

An overview of the news

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Manoj Joshi, Secretary, MOHUA and Vartika Shukla, CMD, EIL.

• The ministry has decided to set up solid waste processing facilities on a large scale in million plus cities.

• India has 59 million plus cities and to manage the organic/wet fraction of municipal solid waste bio-methanation plants have been proposed in these cities.

• In February 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Asia's largest municipal solid waste based cow dung plant in Indore, aimed at generating 19,000 kg of bio-CNG gas.

• Bio-methanation plants linked to the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, Gobardhan and SATAT schemes will produce bio-CNG as a renewable energy.

• In the first phase, 25 million plus cities will be selected to develop large scale process plants.

Waste to Energy plants

• Waste-to-energy plants use the dry waste fraction of municipal solid waste and produce renewable energy.

• These plants work by burning waste at high temperatures and using the heat to produce steam.

• The steam drives a turbine which produces electricity.

Cooperation Ministry signs MoU to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies

Tags: Economy/Finance

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on February 2 to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and provide services by Common Service Centers (CSC).

An overview of the news

• The MoU was signed between the Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited in New Delhi.

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation, Amit Shah and Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnav.

• This will help in taking forward the concept of Common Service Centers easily to the smallest unit of the country.

• This agreement will enhance the business activities of PACS and help them to become a self-sustaining economic entity.

Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) 

• These are grassroots level cooperative credit institutions that provide short-term and medium-term agricultural loans to farmers for various agricultural and agricultural activities.

• It works at the gram Panchayat and village level.

• The first Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) was set up in 1904.

• PACS are registered under the Co-operative Societies Act and regulated by RBI.

Objectives of PACS

• Raise capital for the purpose of making loans

• Supporting members' essential activities

• Collect deposits from members with the goal of improving their savings habit

• Arrange for the supply and development of improved breeds of livestock to the members

• Supply agricultural inputs and services to members at reasonable prices

India welcomes Congo into International Solar Alliance

Tags: International News

India has welcomed Congo into the International Solar Alliance.

An overview of the news

• According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement was signed by Raymond Serge Bell, Ambassador of the Republic of Congo in the presence of Joint Secretary (Economic Diplomacy).

International Solar Alliance 

• It is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization whose primary function is to promote solar development by reducing the cost of financing and technology.

• It is the nodal agency to implement 'One Sun, One World, One Grid'.

• It aims to transfer the solar energy generated in a specific region to meet the electricity demand of another region.

• It was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30 November 2015 at the Conference of the Parties (COP-21) to the UNFCCC in France (Paris) along with 121 solar resource rich nations.

• Its key objectives include achieving a global potential of over 1000 GW of solar power generation capacity and mobilising about $1000 billion to invest in solar energy by 2030.

• Member-113 countries have signed this Framework Agreement. 86 out of 106 countries have signed and ratified this Framework Agreement.

• Headquarters - Gurugram, India

Democratic Republic of Congo 

• It is located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa after Algeria.

• Capital : Kinshasa. It is on the bank of River Congo. 

• Congo is the only river in the world to cross the equator twice.  

• Currency : Congo franc

MP Government has changed the name of Bhopal's Islam Nagar village to 'Jagdishpur' with immediate effect

Tags: State News

Madhya Pradesh government announced that Islam Nagar village located in Bhopal district has been renamed as Jagdishpur.

An overview of the news

• The notification informing the change of name also states that the central government has not objected to the decision.

• Islam Nagar village is located at a distance of about 12 km from Bhopal and is famous for forts.

• 308 years ago the name of Islam Nagar used to be Jagdishpur.

• The iconic Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was renamed Amrit Udyan recently.

• According to the Madhya Pradesh Raj Bhavan website, Bhopal was founded in 1724 by Dost Mohammad Khan, an Afghan soldier.

• Dost Mohammad Khan established his capital at Jagdishpur, 10 km from modern Bhopal and named it Islam Nagar (City of Islam).

• Dost Mohammad Khan built a small fort and some palaces at Islamnagar.

• After a few years, he built a big fort on the northern bank of the upper lake. This new fort was named Fatehgarh Fort (Fort of Victory).

• After some years, he shifted his capital to the present city of Bhopal.

• Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh government had renamed Hishangabad as Narmadapuram and Nasrullaganj as Bhairunda.

IIT Madras to get Rs 242 cr grant for research on Lab Grown Diamonds

Tags: Economy/Finance National News

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras will be provided a grant of Rs 242 crore over a period of five years to carry out research on Lab Grown Diamonds (LGD).

An overview of the news

• It will encourage indigenous production of LGD seeds, machines and reduce import dependence.

• The research will focus on indigenization of the LGD manufacturing process.

• Presenting the Union Budget 2023-24, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that "Laboratory grown diamonds (LGD) is a technology and innovation-driven emerging sector with high employment potential.

• The government has proposed to cut duty on import of 'seeds', used as raw material for lab-grown diamonds.

About Lab-Grown Diamonds

• Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds that are produced using specific technology that mimics the geological processes that grow natural diamonds.

• These eco-friendly diamonds have optically and chemically similar properties to natural diamonds.

• LGDs are chemically, physically and optically similar to natural diamonds and thus it is difficult to identify "lab-grown" diamonds.

Significance of LGDs

• LGD is often used for industrial purposes, in machines and equipment.

• Their hardness and added strength make them ideal for use as cutters.

• Additionally, pure synthetic diamond has high thermal conductivity, but negligible electrical conductivity.

• As the Earth's natural diamond reserves dwindle, LGDs are slowly replacing the precious stones in the jewellery industry.

• Like natural diamonds, LGDs go through the same processes of polishing and cutting that are required to provide diamonds their distinctive lustre.

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