DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Sept. 28, 2023

India remains at 40th position in Global Innovation Index 2023

Tags: INDEX

India has retained its 40th position among 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023.

An Overview of the News

• The ranking reflects India's continued progress in the GII, improving from 81st in 2015 to 40th in 2023.

• India's improved GII ranking can be attributed to factors such as its rich knowledge capital, vibrant startup ecosystem and notable contributions from both public and private research organizations.

• Various government departments including the Department of Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Space and Atomic Energy have played an important role in enhancing the national innovation ecosystem.

• Initiatives like Atal Innovation Mission have been helpful in expanding this ecosystem.

Efforts of NITI Aayog:

• NITI Aayog has been actively involved in promoting policy-driven innovation in areas such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space technology and alternative energy sources.

• It has also worked to promote innovation at the state and district level.

• NITI Aayog has continuously monitored and evaluated India's global rankings, including the GII.

Importance of GII:

• The Global Innovation Index (GII) serves as a valuable tool for governments around the world to assess the impact of innovation on social and economic changes in their respective countries.

• Over time, the GII has become an essential policy tool for governments, helping them assess their current position in terms of innovation.

Collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII):

• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has been supportive of India's journey towards becoming an innovation-driven economy.

• In 2023, NITI Aayog, in partnership with CII and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is hosting the Virtual India Launch of GII 2023 on 29 September.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches 'CRIIIO 4 GOOD' modules

Tags: National News

On 28 September 2023, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan launched 'CRIIIO 4 GOOD', a new online, life skills learning module to empower youth and promote gender equality through cricket.

An Overview of the News

• The objective of the program is to promote gender equality among children and youth.

• 'CRIIIO 4 GOOD' was launched at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in collaboration with ICC, UNICEF and BCCI.

• The launch event was attended by various dignitaries and more than 1000 children.

Empowerment through cricket

• 'CRIIIO 4 GOOD' offers engaging and interactive learning modules.

• Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana presented the first module to school children at the stadium.

• The program encourages the adoption of important life skills and promotes gender equality.

'CRIIIO 4 GOOD' module

• 'CRIIIO 4 GOOD' consists of eight cricket-based animation films.

• These films address topics such as leadership, problem-solving, self-confidence, and teamwork.

• They use examples from cricket to illustrate these life skills.

• The program is free and available in English, Hindi and Gujarati.

Realism and local relevance

• The films are made relevant by incorporating extensive research into local nuances.

• This initiative is in line with the National Education Policy's emphasis on gender equality and equal opportunities.

• 'CRIIIO 4 GOOD' represents an important step towards empowering girls and promoting gender equality through cricket-based education.

M S Swaminathan, father of India's Green Revolution, passes away at the age of 98

Tags: Person in news

On 28 September 2023, famous farmer and 'Father of India's Green Revolution' M.S. Swaminathan died at the age of 98.

An Overview of the News

• M. S. Swaminathan's agricultural journey began in 1949 when he began researching crop genetics, which included important crops like potato, wheat, rice, and jute.

Green Revolution:

• During a critical period in India's history, Swaminathan collaborated with scientist Norman Borlaug and others to develop high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice.

• This collaboration marked the beginning of the 'Green Revolution', a transformative initiative aimed at significantly increasing crop productivity through the use of chemical-biological technology.

Honors and Awards for Outstanding Contribution:

• Swaminathan received several prestigious awards, including the first World Food Prize in 1987 for introducing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties into India.

• He established the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai.

• He was also awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 and the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986.

National Recognition:

• In India, Swaminathan received several high civilian awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.

• He was also a recipient of the HK Firodia Award, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award and the Indira Gandhi Award.

Typical Careers in Administration:

• Swaminathan served as the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

• He also headed the International Rice Research Institute.

• In 1979, he became Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Global Environmental Leadership:

• In 1988, Swaminathan became President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, highlighting his dedication to environmental protection.

• His influence extended globally, contributing to various international agricultural and environmental initiatives.

• Time magazine recognized him as one of the 20 most influential Asians of the 20th century.

India's Roshibina Devi Naorem wins silver medal in women's Wushu at Asian Games 2023

Tags: Sports News

India's Roshibina Devi Naorem won a silver medal in the women's 60 kg category in Wushu at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

An Overview of the News

• Naorem Roshibina Devi won a silver medal in the women's Wushu final (60 kg category), India's first silver medal in Wushu.

• PV Sindhu, ranked 17th globally, won the badminton match against Mongolia's Mygmartseren Ganbaatar with a score of 21-2, 21-3.

• In shooting, Arjun Singh Cheema is in 14th position with a score of 9.650, Sarabjot Singh is in 30th position with 9.500 and Shiv Narwal is in 37th position with 9.400.

• In the skeet mixed team final, Anant Jeet and Ganemat are placed seventh with 18 points.

• The Indian men's football team will face Saudi Arabia in the round of 16.

Asian Games Update:

• Day 5 of the Asian Games 2023 is in Hangzhou, China.

• India has a total of 23 medals: 5 gold, 8 silver and 10 bronze.

• India is currently ranked seventh overall.

Uttar Pradesh received two awards for its excellent performance in Ayushman Bharat Scheme

Tags: Awards

Uttar Pradesh has been honored with two awards for its excellent performance in the Centre's Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-J) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

An Overview of the News

• Uttar Pradesh has achieved the highest number of health accounts under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

• The state has created over 4.7 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA), surpassing Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh with 4.19 crore and 4.10 crore accounts respectively.

• Additionally, more than 2.73 crore health records in Uttar Pradesh are linked to ABHA.

Major applications used:

• Uttar Pradesh is actively using essential applications like PM-JAY, CoWin, and e-Kavach.

• A total of 535 hospitals in Uttar Pradesh are actively using the Health Management Information System (HMIS).

• Of them, 150 hospitals are using the scan and share feature for online OPD registration, with a total of 33,79,592 tokens issued.

• Additionally, 2,73,00,607 health records have been added through this process.

• The e-Kavach application is being used in Uttar Pradesh for ABHA generation through community enumeration.

Health Professionals Registries (HPRs) and Health Facilities Registries (HFRs):

• Uttar Pradesh claims to have the best performance in the Health Professional Registry (HPR) in India, where registries of more than 42,700 health professionals are verified.

• In Health Facilities Registries (HFR), the state secured the second rank with verification of over 38,863 facilities, including both government and private facilities.

• Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top performer among all states in Health Management Information System (HMIS) and Scan and Share program.