Daily Current Affairs Date 23rd of June 2021
Topics
- UN Annual Report on children and armed conflict.
- Government announces to set up 5 ‘Divyangta Khel Kendras’.
- IISc Develops Low-Cost Diagnostic Test For Sickle Cell Disease.
- Odisha: Only state to have all three species of crocodiles.
- Assam signs MoU with Survey of India to implement Svamitva.
- Israel successfully tests airborne high-power Laser.
- Proposed Amendments to Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020.
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Questions-
Q- UN recently released Annual Report of Secretary-General on Children & Armed Conflict (CAAC).
Consider the following Statement regarding it.
- 19,300 children affected by war in 2020
- 98% of incidents of sexual violence perpetrated against girls.
- Crimes of abduction has increased by 70%,
Options-
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2 and 3
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
UN Annual Report on children and armed conflict.
- United Nations published its “Annual Report of Secretary-General on Children & Armed Conflict (CAAC)”.
- As per the report, about 19,300 children, including boys and girls, have suffered from one or more incidents of grave violations in 2020.
- As per the report, 26425 grave violations were committed against children in 2020, including attacks on schools and hospitals.
- About 19,300 children affected by war in 2020 were victims of grave violations like killing, maiming or rape.
- As per report, recruitment & use of children, killing & maiming were most prevalent grave violations against children which is followed by denial of humanitarian access & abduction.
- Crimes of abduction has increased by 90%, incidents of rape & other forms of sexual violence have increased by 70% in 2020.
- Wars of adults have taken away childhood of millions of boys and girls in 2020.
- One in four children affected by grave violations like rare & other forms of sexual violence were girls.
- 98% of incidents of sexual violence perpetrated against girls.
Impact of Covid-19
- Covid-19 pandemic has complicated UN’s efforts to reach out to children in situations of armed conflict.
- It has increased vulnerability of children to abduction, recruitment & use, sexual violence and attacks on schools & hospitals.
Question
Q- Which Union Ministry is to set up ’Divyangta Khel Kendras’?
a) Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry
b) Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry
c) Law and Justice Ministry
d) Home Affairs Ministry
Government announces to set up 5 ‘Divyangta Khel Kendras’.
The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot on June 20, 2021, announced the setting up of 5 Divyangta Khel Kendras in various parts of the country.
Government’s assistance to Divyangjan:
- On the occasion, the Union Minister informed that the Central Government had released Rs. 8.06 crores to Gujarat under the Scholarship program benefitting 2,808 beneficiaries.
- As many as 10,175 bus depots, 709 railway stations, and 683 websites have been covered under Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan.
- The Minister also mentioned that the work on the National Mental Health Rehabilitation Center in Sehore, MP has also been started by CPWD.
Need to empower Divyangjan:
- The Gujarat CM while speaking on the occasion said that in 2016, the Rights to Persons with Disability Act was brought in.
- It not only provided more security but also ensured and protected the fundamental rights of the person with disabilities across the nation.
- The Chief Minister further underlined the need for empowerment of Divyangjan and to bring them into the mainstream of society to promote the overall development of the country.
Distribution of aids and assistive devices to Divyangjan in Gujarat:
- A total of 6,225 aids and assistive devices worth Rs. 3.57 crores will be distributed free of cost to 3,805 Divyangjan at block or panchayat levels.
- On June 20, 2021, in view of COVID-19, out of the total 3,805 pre-identified Divyang beneficiaries, aids and assistive devices were given to approx.
- 50 beneficiaries of Jamnagar city block, Gujarat in the inaugural distribution camp.
QUESTION
Q- With reference to ‘Sickle Cell Disease’, consider the following statements:
- It is an inherited blood disease.
- It affects hemoglobin that delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body.
- It is not considered a disability and thus, not given disability certificates.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
IISc Develops Low-Cost Diagnostic Test For Sickle Cell Disease
- Team at the Indian Institute of Science, led by Professor Sai Siva Gorthi along with his collaborator Dr. Nisanth Nambisson at Government Homeopathy medical college (GHMC) Bhopal, has developed a new low-cost diagnostic test that can detect Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and Sickle Cell Trait (SCT).
Sickle Disease
- Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited disorder of the red blood cells, which is characterised by repeated episodes of debilitating pain.
- Other symptoms include chronic anemia, acute chest syndrome, stroke, splenic and renal dysfunction, pain crises, and susceptibility to bacterial infections, the IISc said..
About Low-Cost Diagnostic Test
- The diagnostic test developed by the researchers is a low-cost alternative to the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC test is time-consuming and costs between Rs 400 and Rs 700, it said.
- Agricultural residues of cassava like peels, stems and leaves are the potential feedstock for 2G bioethanol production.
- The HPOS test developed by the IISc team can be performed in 15 minutes.
- It is an “absorbance spectroscopy-based test” that uses machine learning-based algorithm for classifying the samples, the institute said.
- According to an IISc statement, India is estimated to have over 50 per cent of the world’s patients with SCD.
- “The disease is most prevalent in tribal communities across the central Indian belt extending from south-eastern Gujarat to south-western Odisha,” it said.
- “Over a million people have sickle cell disease in India today. There are nearly 2,00,000 babies born with the condition every year.
- The sickle gene is widespread among many tribal population groups in India with prevalence of the sickle cell trait (SCT) varying from 1-40%.
- Hence, it is important to screen the population for SCT to lower the prevalence of SCD,” the IISc said.
- The institute has informed clinical trials of the new diagnostic tests are being carried out with the help of GHMC, Bhopal and ICMR National Institute of Research on Tribal Health, Jabalpur.
- IISc incubated company Shanmukha Innovations Private Limited has licensed the technology and a patent has been filed for the technology, it said
Questions
Q- Which Indian State is the Only state to have all three species of crocodiles.
a) Tamil Nadu
b) Karnataka
c) Assam
d) Odisha
Odisha: Only state to have all three species of crocodiles
- Odisha has become the only state in India to have all the three species of crocodiles. Three species in the state of Odisha are:
- Reptile freshwater Gharials at Satkosia in Mahanadi,
- Muggers in Bhitarkanika National Park and
- Saltwater crocodiles.
- Odisha has witnessed natural nesting of Gharials (a critically endangered species) for the first time since they were introduced in its rivers in 1975.
- About 28 hatchlings of Gharials were spotted in Mahanadi River in Baladamara area near Satkosia range.
Gharials in Odisha
- Original Gharials which were introduced in Odisha are dead now.
- After waiting for 40 years for their numbers to grow naturally, Odisha introduced 13 more Gharials in past three years in the Mahanadi.
- But only eight survived.
About Gharial
- Gharials, also known as gavial or fish-eating crocodile, are crocodilian of family Gavialidae.
- They are among longest of all living crocodilians.
- They have been named gharial because of a distinct boss at the end of snout, which resembles an earthenware pot called ghara.
- Gharials are well adapted to catching fish because of its long, thin snout and 110 sharp & interlocking teeth.
- They have been listed as critically endangered in IUCN Red List since 2007.
Background
- They probably evolved in northern Indian subcontinent. Fossil gharial remains were excavated in Pliocene deposits from Shivalik Hills and Narmada River valley.
- They currently inhabit rivers in northern Indian subcontinent.
Question
Q- Consider the following statements regarding Svamitva scheme
1) This scheme aims to provide an integrated property validation solution in rural areas
2) This scheme was launched on June 24, 2020
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Assam signs MoU with Survey of India to implement Svamitva
- Assam government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Survey of India to implement Svamitva scheme in the state.
- Svamitva scheme aims to provide an integrated property validation solution in rural areas.
- Scheme will be implemented by Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and Assam Government’s Department of Revenue and Disaster Management with the support of Panchayat and Rural Development.
- Survey of India is the technology partner.
- It will take steps to survey inhabited rural land by drone and will establish ground-based control stations which will enable a detailed spatial database of properties in rural areas.
- This scheme is expected to reduce property related disputes and legal cases across rural areas.
Svamitva scheme
- This scheme was launched on April 24, 2020 on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day.
- It would provide ‘record of rights’ to village household owners who are possessing houses in inhabited rural areas in villages.
- This in turn, would enable the villagers to use their property as financial asset to take loans and other financial benefits from banks.
Questions-
Q- Consider the following statement regarding Israel’s high-power Laser.
1- It has the capability to shoot down drones.
2- Atmospheric thermal blooming is a major problem of high-power Laser.
3- It is a prototype developed with Elbit Systems
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1, 2
b) 1, 3
c) All of the above
d) 2, 3
Israel successfully tests airborne high-power Laser
- Israeli military has successfully tested an airborne high-power laser which have the capability to shoot down drones.
- Israel already have large and sophisticated air defense system.
- This system had 90 per cent interception rate against thousands of rockets which were fired from Gaza during 11-day war of May 2021.
About Israel’s Laser defence system
- Laser is a prototype developed with Elbit Systems.
- It was mounted on a civilian plane and successfully shot down drones in recent test conducted over Mediterranean Sea.
What is a laser weapon?
- Laser weapon is a directed-energy weapon which are based on lasers.
- As of January 2020, directed-energy weapons including lasers are currently at experimental stage despite several R&D.
- It is yet to be seen if or when laser weapons will be deployed as practical, high-performance military weapons.
- Laser generates a beam of light which needs clear air or a vacuum to work without thermal blooming.
Challenges with laser weapon
- Atmospheric thermal blooming is a major problem.
- This problem can worsen if fog, smoke, rain, dust, snow, smog, foam like obscurant chemicals is present.
Q- Consider the following statement regarding Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020.
1- The rules have separate specified provisions for marketplace- and inventory-based entities.
2- The e-com rules currently recognize two e-commerce business models, namely, marketplace model and inventory-based model.
3- The Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020 are mandatory and are not advisories.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1, 2
b) 1, 3
c) All of the above
d) 2, 3.
Proposed Amendments to Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020.
- India has planned to tighten rules for e-commerce marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart and has proposed several amendments to Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020.
- This decision was taken following complaints from small businesses.
- They have accused e-commerce marketplace of misusing market dominance and deep discounting by online retailers.
- Amendments have been proposed at a time when large e-commerce marketplaces like Flipkart and Amazon India are being investigated by Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged abuse of market dominance.
- CCI probe also focuses on deep-discounting practices that e-commerce marketplaces often come up with.
Also Read: Daily Current Affairs Date 22nd of June 2021
Proposed Rules
- Amended rules propose to limit ‘flash sales’ of goods and services by e-commerce companies.
- However, it does not ban Conventional e-commerce flash sales.
- Some specific flash sales or back-to-back sales that limit customers choice, increase prices & prevents a level playing field will not be allowed.
- E-commerce firms will have to establish adequate redressal mechanisms and appoint a chief compliance officer.
- Companies are also required to name a resident grievance officer who has to be a company employee and a citizen of India.
- He will serve as nodal point of contact for law enforcement agencies.
