DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: May 30, 2022

U.S. becomes India’s biggest trading partner at $119 billion

Tags: Economics/Business International News

In the year 2021-22, the US overtook China to become India's top trading partner, reflecting strong economic ties between the two countries.

• As per commerce ministry data, bilateral trade between the US and India stood at $119.42 billion in 2021-22, as against $80.51 billion in 2020-21.

• India's exports to the US increased to $76.11 billion in 2021-22 from $51.62 billion in the previous fiscal While imports increased to $43.31 billion in 2020-21 as compared to about $29 billion.

• During 2021-22, India's two-way trade with China stood at $115.42 billion as compared to $86.4 billion in 2020-21.

• During 2021-22, India's two-way trade with China stood at $115.42 billion as compared to $86.4 billion in 2020-21.

• Exports to China marginally increased to $21.25 billion last fiscal year from $21.18 billion in 2020-21, while imports jumped to $94.16 billion from about $65.21 billion in 2020-21. 

• The trade gap widened to $72.91 billion in 2021-22 from $44 billion in the previous fiscal.

• Reason of increasing bilateral trade with the US

• Strengthening of economic ties between the two countries.

• Global firms are reducing their dependence only on China for their supplies and diversifying business to other countries such as India.

• India has joined the US-led initiative to establish the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and the move will further boost economic ties.

• Major export items from India to the US 

• Petroleum polished diamonds, pharmaceutical products, jewellery, light oils and petroleum, frozen shrimp, made ups etc.

• Major import items from US to India

• Petroleum, rough diamonds, liquified natural gas, gold, coal, waste and scrap, almonds etc

• Important facts 

• China was India's top trading partner from 2013-14 till 2017-18 and also in 2020-21.

• Before China, UAE was India's largest trading partner.

Bihar to allow exploration of India's 'largest' gold reserves in Jamui

Tags: State News

The Bihar government has decided to allow the exploration of "country's largest" gold deposits in Jamui district.

• According to the Geological Survey of India (GSI) survey, around 222.88 million tonnes of gold reserves, including 37.6 tonnes of mineral-rich ore, are present in Jamui district.

• The state's Mines and Geology Department is in consultation with agencies engaged in exploration, including the GSI and the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), for the exploration of gold deposits in Jamui.

• The state government will sign an MoU with a central agency for G3 (preliminary) stage exploration within a month.

• In certain areas, G2 (general) exploration can also be carried out. 

• Bihar's gold reserve

• Bihar has 222.885 million tonnes of gold metal, which is 44% of the total gold reserves of the country.

• As per the National Mineral Inventory, the total resource of primary gold ore in the country as on 1st April 2015 is estimated to be 501.83 million tonnes with 654.74 tonnes of gold metal.

• Of this, Bihar is endowed with 222.885 million tonnes (44 per cent) of ore, of which 37.6 tonnes is the metal.

• Gold Reserves in India

• The largest resources of gold ore (primary) are located in Bihar.

• Followed by Rajasthan (25%), Karnataka (21%), West Bengal (3%), Andhra Pradesh (3% ), Jharkhand (2 %).

• The remaining 2% resources are in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

• The U.S has the highest gold reserves. 

One person dies of West Nile fever in Thrissur

Tags: Science and Technology

The health department has been alerted after one person died of West Nile fever, a mosquito-borne disease, in Thrissur's Panancheri panchayat on May 29.

• About West Nile Virus

• West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne, single-stranded RNA virus.

• As per WHO, it is a member of the flavivirus genus and belongs to the Japanese Encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae. 

• Transmission of virus

• The Culex species of mosquitoes serves as the major carrier for transmission.

• It is transmitted through infected mosquitoes to humans, animals and birds.

• Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds and circulate the virus in their blood for a few days.

• The virus eventually moves into the mosquito's salivary glands.

• When mosquitoes bite, the virus enters the body of humans and animals where there is a rapid increase in the number of viruses that cause disease.

• The virus can also be spread by blood transfusion, from an infected mother to her child, or through exposure to the virus in laboratories.

• Symptoms

• In 80% of the infected people the disease is asymptomatic.

• Symptoms seen in 20% of cases include fever, headache, fatigue, body aches, nausea, rash and swollen glands.

• Severe infection can lead to encephalitis, meningitis, paralysis, and even death.

• It usually becomes fatal in individuals with co-morbidities and in immune-compromised individuals (e.g. transplant patients).

NCTE launches online portal to streamline process of recognition of teacher education programs

Tags: National News

The National Council for Teacher Education has launched an online portal to streamline the process of accreditation of teacher education programs of higher education institutions and teacher education institutions.

• This portal will bring a paradigm shift in the working of the National Council for Teacher Education.

• The applications for the recently launched four-year Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) will also be processed on this portal.

• Aim of portal

• Providing an automated robust framework that will help enhance transparency, accountability and ease of doing business.

• To help the candidates from the time of invitation of applications for the courses to the stage of issuing accreditation orders including inspection of institutions.

• About National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE)

• It is a statutory body came into existence in pursuance of the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 on 17 August,1995.

• It plans and coordinates the development of the teacher education system throughout the country.

• It also ensures the maintenance of norms and standards in the teacher education system in India.

• Its headquarter is in New Delhi.

NHA launches public dashboard for Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Tags: National Government Schemes

The National Health Authority has launched a public dashboard for real-time information under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

• The public dashboard will be a one-stop solution to track the progress of the mission at the state level.

• According to the dashboard, the total number of Ayushman Bharat health account numbers is more than 22 crore and more than 16.6 thousand healthcare professionals have registered in the health care professional registry.

• The dashboard will display the following detailed information - 

1. Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) numbers

2. Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)

3. Health Facility Registry (HFR)

• About Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

• Launched  - By PM Narendra modi on  27th September 2021

• It will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.

• This will not only simplify the procedures of hospitals but will also enhance the ease of living.

• The digital ecosystem will also enable many other features such as digital consultation, patient consent for physicians to access their records, etc.

• With the implementation of this scheme old medical records cannot be destroyed as every record will be stored digitally.

• The project has been implemented in pilot phase in six states and union territories.

• About National Health Authority (NHA)

• It is the apex body which is responsible for implementing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

• It is entrusted with the role of strategy formulation, creation of technical infrastructure and implementation of "National Digital Health Mission" to create a national digital health ecosystem.

Pope Francis elevates archbishops of Hyderabad and Goa to cardinal rank

Tags: Person in news International News

Pope Francis announced on 29 May that he would create 21 new cardinals, including two from India, in a Consistory on 27 August.

• It is a matter of pride for the Goans to receive such a coveted honour.

• The two Cardinals from India

1. Archbishop Filipe Neri António Sebastião di Rosário Ferrão, (Archbishop of Goa)

2. Archbishop Anthony Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad

• About Father Ferrao

• He was ordained as a priest on 28 October, 1979

• On 12 December 2003, he was ordained as Archbishop of Goa and Daman by Pope John Paul II.

• Father Ferrao was born on 20 January 1953 in the village of Aldona, near Panaji.

• He graduated in Philosophy and Theology and knows Konkani, English, Portuguese, Italian, French and German languages.

• About Anthony Poola

• He was a native of Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and was ordained a priest in February 1992

• He was appointed as Bishop of Kurnool in 2008.

• He was appointed as Archbishop of Hyderabad in 2020.

• He is currently the Chairman of the Youth Commission of the Andhra Pradesh Bishops' Conference.

• For the first time in history, a Telugu Archbishop has been made a cardinal.

• Important facts

• Eight of the newly named cardinals are from Europe, six from Asia, two from Africa, one from North America, and four from Central and Latin America.

• The College of Cardinals currently has 208 cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 91 are non-electoral.

• From August 27, this number will increase to 229 cardinals.