What are basic factual details about KVIC?

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.
• It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• It is engaged in the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programs for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
• The commission focuses on creation of common service facilities for processing of raw materials, such as semi-finished goods.

Alternative Academic Calendar for Upper Primary Stage

• Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ released the Alternative Academic Calendar for classes 6 to 8.
• The alternative academic schedule is for the next two months.
• To engage students meaningfully during their stay at home due to COVID-19 through educational activities at home with the help of their parents and teachers
• The calendar is developed by NCERT.
• Calendar provides guidelines to teachers on the use of various technological tools and social media tools available for imparting education in fun-filled, interesting ways, which can be used by learner, parents and teachers even while at home.
• The calendar guides teachers to further help parents and students through SMS on mobile phones or through voice call.
• Calendar will cater to the need of all children including Divyang children(Children with Special Need)- link for Audio books, Radio programmes, Video programme will be included.
• It also covers experiential learning activities such as Arts Education, Physical Exercises, yoga, pre-vocational skills, etc. This Calendar contains class-wise and subject-wise activities in tabular forms.
• Calendar includes link for Chapter wise e-content available on the e-pathshala, NROER and DIKSHA portal of GoI.

DCGI Approves Phase II+III trials of Oxford University Vaccine

• The Drugs Controller General of India finally gave green signal to Serum Institute of India (SII) for conducting phase II and III clinical trials of Astra Zeneca Vaccine developed by the Oxford University against coronavirus disease.
• At present, at least 26 vaccines are in a clinical evaluation with six of them in late-stage, phase 3 trials according to a report published by the World Health Organisation.
• Around 1,600 people will participate in the clinical trial proposed to be undertaken at 17 selected institutes across the country.
• Each one of them will be administered two doses four weeks apart. On day one first dose will be administered then following 29 days the second dose of medicine will be administered.
• India continues to improve the Case Fatality Rate (CFR), and maintain its global position of having one of the lowest COVID fatalities rates.
• With a further fall, the current CFR touched 2.11%.
• This is the outcome of the well-conceived and effectively implemented strategy of “Test, Track and Treat” which has guided the COVID management in the country.

Indira Rasoi Yojana to start in Rajasthan from August 20

• Indira Rasoi Yojana to start in Urban areas of Rajasthan from August 20.
• Named after former prime minister Indira Gandhi.
• Under this scheme, the needy and poor will get healthy and nutritious food at 8 Rs per plate.
• The state government will spend 100 Crores per year on the scheme.

U.K. to issue coin to Honour Gandhiji

• Britain is considering minting a coin to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi, amid growing interest in recognizing the contributions of people from the Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities.
• British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak asked the Royal Mint Advisory Committee to consider recognizing the contribution of BAME communities on Britain’s coinage.
•  RMAC is an independent committee made up of experts who recommend themes and designs for coins.
• As part of a global reassessment of history, colonialism and racism triggered by the death in May of a Black man, George Floyd, in the United States after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, some British institutions have begun re-examining their past.

Completion of First Pan India 1000 Genome sequencing of SARS- CoV-2

• Announced by Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• He took a meeting with Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and reviewed the COVID-19 activities of DBT, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and DBT-Autonomous Institutions (AIs).
• Dr. Harsh Vardhan also launched and dedicated to the nation the largest network of five dedicated COVID-19 Biorepositories established by Department of Biotechnology in record time.
• The Department of Biotechnology had launched a Pan India 1000 SARS–CoV-2 RNA Genome Sequencing programme in May this year to be done by Autonomous Institutes of DBT, collaborating with national laboratories and clinical organizations.

High Level Group (HLEG) on Agricultural Exports

• The High-Level Group (HLEG) on Agricultural Exports set up by the Fifteenth Finance Commission has submitted its report to the Commission.
• The HLEG was set up to recommend measurable performance incentives for states to encourage agricultural exports and to promote crops to enable high import substitution.
• Purpose of High-Level Group (HLEG):
• To assess export & import substitution
• To recommend strategies and measures to increase farm productivity,
• To identify the impediments for private sector investments
• To suggest appropriate performance-based incentives to the state
• Recommendations:
• It emphasizes to focus on 22 crop value chains with a demand driven approach.
• Solve Value Chain Clusters (VCC) holistically with focus on value addition.
• Create a State led export plan with participation from stakeholders.
• The private sector players need to play a pivotal role in ensuring demand orientation and focus on value addition.
• Central Government should be the enabler of the plan.
• Robust institutional mechanism to fund and support implementation.

Current COVID19 Situation in India

QUIZ TIME

Alternative Academic Calendar is developed by?

1. CBSE
2. NCERT
3. Both A and B
4. Neither A nor B

Answer – B

Astra Zeneca Vaccine is developed by:

1. Oxford
2. WHO
3. AIIMS
4. ICMR

Answer – A

High-Level Group (HLEG) on Agricultural Exports set up by:

1. 15^th Finance Commission
2. 14^th Finance Commission
3. 16^th Finance Commission
4. 17^7h Finance Commission

Answer – A

Question of the Day

What is the period of 15th Finance Commission?

Answer in next session…