PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS,29-SEPTEMBER-2017
Topic: Statutory, regulatory and
various quasi-judicial bodies.
Directorate General of Quality Assurance Celebrates its
Diamond Jubilee
Directorate General of Quality
Assurance (DGQA) has completed 60 years of its existence.
§ The organisation has quality assured Defence stores worth Rs.
28,878 crore during the financial year 2016-17.
§ In addition, the organisation has been providing assistance to the
User and Manufacturer in difficult and trying situations, warranting the
technical expertise and hands-on experience.
§
About DGQA:
The Directorate General of
Quality Assurance (DGQA) is under Department Of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. This organisation is more than hundred years old and provides
Quality Assurance (QA) cover for the entire range of Arms, Ammunitions,
Equipments and Stores supplied to Armed Forces.
Functions:
§ Apart from QA activities, the organisation is responsible for
import substitution and associates with Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) in the development projects.
§ It also ensures Documentation, Codification and Standardisation
Action for minimizing the variety of components / equipments.
§ The other services rendered are promotion of small scale
industries, Post procurement services, Defect Investigations and Technical
Consultancy to the users, Ministry and the Production Agencies.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and
accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and
potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and
institutional and other measures.
VVPAT to be used in Gujarat polls
The Election Commission of
India will use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) gadgets with
Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in all 50,128 voting booths in Gujarat, which
goes to the Assembly polls at the end of this year.
This is the first time an entire assembly poll will be conducted
using EVMs equipped with VVPAT.
What is VVPAT?
VVPAT stands for Voter-Verified
Paper Audit Trail. VVPAT system maintains a physical trail of all votes cast.
Small slips of paper records the details of the vote. The Election Commission
(EC) first introduced VVPAT in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
How is it related to EVMs?
When a vote is cast on the
electronic voting machine, a small paper slip bearing the name and symbol of
the candidate is generated. This paper appears for about 10 seconds. The slip
will then automatically fall in a sealed safe box, attached to the EVM, thus
maintaining a physical paper trail of all the votes cast.
Background:
In 2013, conduct of Election
Rules, 1961 was amended to facilitate the introduction of VVPAT units. For the
first time, VVPAT with EVMs was used for the Noksen Assembly seat in Tuensang
district of Nagaland.
In the case of Subramanian Swamy vs Election Commission of India
(ECI), the Supreme Court held that VVPAT is “indispensable for free and
fair elections” and directed the ECI to equip EVMs with VVPAT systems. The apex
court had directed the EC to introduce EVMs in a phased manner for the next
General Elections in 2014, saying it would ensure free and fair polls. SC also
directed the Centre to provide financial assistance for introducing VVPAT
system.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements
involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
India signs MoU to train Afghan police
India and Afghanistan have
exchanged a memorandum of understanding, which will see Afghan police forces
trained in India for the first time.
Aim of the MoU: The MoU on Technical
Cooperation on Police Training and Development will see India expand its
capacity building of Afghan troops to include policemen and security forces,
who are facing the brunt of Taliban attacks in the country, under a UN
Development Programme project.
Background:
India has earlier trained
Afghan national army officers and the MoU for training Afghan police is
expected to further deepen security cooperation between the two countries.
According to the government, the MoU will help in capacity building of
Afghanistan National Police and improving the security apparatus in the region.
India has been helping
trouble-torn Afghanistan in capacity building besides extending assistance in
social, medical and educational fields.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their
structure, mandate.
ADB plans to raise lending up to $4 billion to India
The Asian Development Bank
(ADB) has decided to raise its annual lending to India to a maximum of $4
billion to support the country to accelerate inclusive economic transformation
toward upper middle-income status, as laid out in a new ADB country partnership
strategy (CPS) for 2018-2022 endorsed recently.
Key facts:
§ ADB’s programme in India will focus on three main pillars of
activity during the 5-year period — boosting economic competitiveness to create
more and well-paid jobs, improved access to infrastructure and services, and
addressing climate change and improving climate resilience.
§ The planned lending level, which includes private sector
operations, compares with an average of $2.65 billion a year in loans extended
in the period 2012-2016.
§ Financing will also go for public sector management, agriculture,
natural resources and rural development as well as skills development and urban
health, the statement said.
§ The new lending will be complemented by technical assistance to
undertake strategic studies, build capacities and prepare projects.
§ ADB said it will also explore co-financing opportunities,
including climate funds for relevant projects.
About ADB:
It is a regional development
bank established on 22 August 1966 and is headquartered in Philippines. It aims
to facilitate economic development of countries in Asia. It also aims for an
Asia and Pacific free from poverty.
Membership:
The bank admits the members of
the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(UNESCAP, formerly known as the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and
the Far East) and non-regional developed countries.
Currently, it has 67 members –
of which 48 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside.
Voting:
ADB was modelled closely on the
World Bank, and has a similar weighted
voting system where votes are distributed in proportion with member’s capital
subscriptions.
Funding:
§ ADB raises funds through bond issues on the world’s capital
markets.
§ ADB also rely on its members’ contributions, retained earnings
from its lending operations, and the repayment of loans.
§ Japan holds the largest proportions of shares at 15.67%. The
United States holds 15.56%, China holds 6.47%, India holds 6.36%, and Australia
holds 5.81%.
Board of Governors:
§ It is the highest policy-making body of the bank.
§ It is composed of one representative from each member state.
§ The Board of Governors also elect the bank’s President who is the
chairperson of the Board of Directors and manages ADB.
§ The Alternate Board of Governors are nominated by Board of
Governors of ADB’s 67 to represent them at the Annual Meeting that meets
formally once year to be held in a member country.
Loans:
It offers both Hard Loans and
Soft loans. The ADB offers “hard” loans from ordinary capital resources (OCR)
on commercial terms, and the Asian Development Fund (ADF) affiliated with the
ADB extends “soft” loans from special fund resources with concessional
conditions.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their
structure, mandate.
World Maritime Day 2017
The World Maritime Day was
formally celebrated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on 28
September 2017.
§ World Maritime Day is an official United Nations day. Every year,
it provides an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of shipping and
other maritime activities and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO’s work.
§ This day also serves as a reminder to all and sundry that a vibrant
and sustainable blue economy is a boon to all mankind.
Theme: “Connecting Ships, Ports and People” is the theme of World
Maritime Day this year. this theme was chosen by the IMO to provide an
opportunity to focus on the many diverse sectors and people involved in the
shipping and logistics areas.
About IMO:
The IMO is the United Nations specialised agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping
and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.
§ It has 171 Member States and three Associate Members.
§ The IMO’s primary purpose is to develop and maintain a
comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit today includes
safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime
security and the efficiency of shipping.
§ IMO is governed by an assembly of members and is financially
administered by a council of members elected from the assembly.
§ The IMO’s structure comprises the Assembly, the Council, the
Maritime Safety Committee, the Marine Environment Protection Committee, the
Legal Committee, the Technical Cooperation Committee, and the secretariat,
headed by a Secretary-General.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 3:
Topic: Disaster and disaster
management.
13th Formation Day of NDMA
The National Disaster
Management Authority (NDMA) recently celebrated its 13th formation day. The theme of this year’s Formation Day is School Safety.
About NDMA:
On 23 December 2005, the
Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities
(SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a
holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.
NDMA, as the apex body, is
mandated to lay down the policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management
to ensure timely and effective response to disasters. Towards this, it has the
following responsibilities:
§ Lay down policies on disaster management.
§ Approve the National Plan.
§ Approve plans prepared by the Ministries or Departments of the
Government of India in accordance with the National Plan.
§ Lay down guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in
drawing up the State Plan.
§ Lay down guidelines to be followed by the different Ministries or
Departments of the Government of India for the Purpose of integrating the
measures for prevention of disaster or the mitigation of its effects in their
development plans and projects.
§ Coordinate the enforcement and implementation of the policy and
plans for disaster management.
§ Recommend provision of funds for the purpose of mitigation.
§ Provide such support to other countries affected by major
disasters as may be determined by the Central Government.
§ Take such other measures for the prevention of disaster, or the
mitigation, or preparedness and capacity building for dealing with threatening
disaster situations or disasters as it may consider necessary.
§ Lay down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of the
National Institute of Disaster Management.
§
Way ahead:
There was no institutional
framework for disaster management earlier, but after the setting up of NDMA, a
mechanism has been developed not only for disaster management, but also for
disaster risk reduction.
§ India got appreciation due to NDMA’s work at Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) meeting on Disaster management held in Kyrgyzstan last
month. India had extended help to earthquake-hit Nepal in 2014 and also India
had sent NDRF team to Japan for help.
§ Its time to further strengthen the legal and institutional systems
in place for disaster management.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Science and Technology-
developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of
Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and
developing new technology.
4th gravitational wave detected by LIGO, Virgo observatory
A fourth gravitational wave has
been detected — this time with help from Italy-based equipment — after two
black holes collided, sending ripples through the fabric of space and time.
§ The newly produced spinning black hole has about 53 times the mass
of our Sun. While this new event is of astrophysical relevance, its detection
comes with an additional asset: this is the first significant gravitational
wave signal recorded by the Virgo detector.
Background:
Gravitational waves were
predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general
relativity, but the first hard evidence of their existence came only in 2015,
when two U.S. detectors found the first such signal.
About Virgo detector:
The Virgo collaboration
includes more than 280 physicists and engineers belonging to 20 different
European research groups.
§ The Virgo detector — an underground L-shaped instrument that
tracks gravitational waves using the physics of laser light and space —
recently underwent an upgrade, and while still less sensitive than its U.S.
counterparts, it was able to confirm the same signal.
§ Known as interferometers, these high-tech underground stations do
not rely on light in the sky like a telescope does, but instead sense
vibrations in space and can pick up the “chirp” created by a gravitational
wave.
What are gravitational waves?
In simple terms, gravitational
waves can be explained as ripples in the fabric of space-time which can only be
caused by massive astronomical events such as neutron stars or black holes
orbiting each other so that these waves would finally radiate from them.
These gravitational waves, if
detected, will carry signatures of their origin, explaining much about the
nature of gravity and the origin of the universe. They had remained elusive
till their detection was first announced last year.
Sources: the hindu.
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