DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 15 – 18 October 2021
Global Hunger Index 2021
- It is jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe.
- It was first produced in 2006. It is published every October. The 2021 edition marks the 16th edition of the GHI.
- It is calculated based on four indicators: Undernourishment, Child Wasting, Child Stunting, Child Mortality.
- lndia has slipped to 101st position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021 of 116 countries, from its 2020 position of 94th.
APJ Abdul Kalam remembered on his 90th Birth Anniversary
- Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
- His birth anniversary is celebrated as the National Innovation Day.
- He was awarded the coveted civilian awards – Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997).
- Pioneer in Fiberglass Technology, Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3), Indigenous Guided Missiles, Technology Vision 2020, PURA (Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas) etc.
- He died on 27th July 2015 at Shillong, Meghalaya.
Kunming Declaration on Biodiversity
- Kunming Declaration was adopted by over 100 countries at the ongoing 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in China.
- The adoption of the declaration will create momentum for a new global biodiversity pact.
- In a previous agreement, Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, signed in Aichi, Japan, in 2010, governments agreed on 20 targets to try to slow biodiversity loss and protect habitats by 2020.
World Standards Day 2021
- 14 October was specifically chosen to mark the date, in 1946, when delegates from 25 countries first gathered in London and decided to create an international organization focused on facilitating standardization.
- Even though ISO was formed one year later, it wasn’t until 1970 that the first World Standards Day was celebrated.
- On World Standards Day, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) organized a day-long event on the theme of ‘Shared Vision for a Better World’ Standards for Sustainable Development Goals at its headquarters in New Delhi
eChhawani Portal
- eChhawani is a unified portal for 62 Cantonment Boards using which citizens have ready access to information regarding their cantonment board and are aware of the day to day activities of their cantonment board.
- Using eChhawani portal citizens can avail all civic services offered by respective Cantonment Board. eChhawani aims to improve citizen interaction with Cantonment Boards while making Cantonment Board employees better equipped, informed, and responsive to public needs with transparency and in an effective manner.
- eChhawani enables citizens to avail the various services online rendered by the Cantonment Boards through Cantonment Board websites.
- The major services which are currently offered to citizens include – Information portal, Trade License, Public Grievances, Online Challan payment system, Lease renewal, Birth and death certificates, Hospital OPD registration facility, Water and Sewerage connection facility.
- Other Civic services provided by Cantonment Boards will be extended in eChhawani by the inclusion of Online Property Tax payment facility, Online building plan approval facility, Community Hall booking facility, school admission and fee payment soon.
Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021
- The 17th edition of the Joint Military Training Exercise “Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021” between the Indian Army and the United States Army, is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 29, 2021 at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska in USA.
- The Indian contingent will comprise of 350 personnel of an Infantry Battalion Group.
- The exercise will further enhance understanding, cooperation, and interoperability between the two Armies. The previous version of the exercise was held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Bikaner, Rajasthan in February 2021.
- The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation, and interoperability between two Armies.
MyParkings app
- This app has been developed by Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) with South Delhi Municipal Corporation with the purpose to digitize all authorized parking under SDMC municipal limits. This facility will be rolled out in future to other municipality divisions across India.
- MyParking app will offer the following features:
- On Spot & Advanced Bookings of vehicle Parking
- Flexibility of selecting slots through easy-to-use mobile app
- Parking solution enabled with Prepaid/Smart Cards
- Option of Paperless check-in & check-out of the vehicles
- Share parking for Safety & recall
- Display of Amenities & facilities in & nearby parking location
- Management of parking Pass for daily/regular commuters
- Options for EV charging station & Integration of card with DTC/Delhi METRO
- Smart QR Code for slot booking, check in & checkout
- ANPR – Automatic number plate recognition system
Seven New Defence Companies Dedicated to the Nation
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the seven new defence companies to the nation on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami.
- The seven new Defence companies that have been incorporated are Munitions India Limited (MIL); Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVANI); Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWE India); Troop Comforts Limited (TCL); Yantra India Limited (YIL); India Optel Limited (IOL); and Gliders India Limited (GIL).
- Government has decided to convert Ordnance Factory Board from a Government Department into seven 100 per cent government-owned corporate entities, as a measure to improve self-reliance in the defence preparedness of the country.
- This move will bring about enhanced functional autonomy, efficiency and will unleash new growth potential and innovation.
Food Tech Summit 2021
- To commemorate World Food Day, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, organised the Food Tech Summit on 16th October 2021.
- The Food Tech Summit 2021 aimed at setting the stage for all food-tech stakeholders to impart, discuss and acquaint micro enterprises on the new emerging trends in food processing and technological innovation.
- About the PMFME Scheme:
- Launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and to promote formalization of the sector and provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain. With an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the scheme envisions to directly assist the 2,00,000 micro food processing units for providing financial, technical, and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization was founded in
- 1945
- 1948
- 1952
- 1955
ANSWER: A
- UN World Food Programme was founded in
- 1958
- 1961
- 1972
- 1984
ANSWER: B
- HQ of World Food Programme
- Rome
- Geneva
- Paris
- Oslo
ANSWER: A
- UN International Fund for Agricultural Development was founded in
- 1977
- 1987
- 1997
- 2007
ANSWER: A
- HQ of World Health Organization (WHO)
- Rome
- Geneva
- Paris
- Oslo
ANSWER: B
- The Convention on Biological Diversity came into effect from
- 1991
- 1993
- 1995
- 1997
ANSWER: B
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat is based in
- Paris
- Montreal
- New York
- San Francisco
ANSWER: B
- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted in
- 1997
- 2000
- 2005
- 2007
ANSWER: B
- Nagoya Protocol was adopted in
- 2005
- 2008
- 2010
- 2012
ANSWER: C
- ‘Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020’ is also known as
- SDG
- MDG
- Aichi Targets
- None
ANSWER: C
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