Current Affair 1:

Measures to Reduce Methane Emissions

 

India is a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and its Kyoto Protocol (KP), and the Paris Agreement (PA). As a Party to the UNFCCC, India periodically submits its National Communications (NCs) and Biennial Update Reports (BURs) to the UNFCCC which includes national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory containing information on methane emissions.

As per India’s third Biennial Update Report, India’s methane emissions in 2016 (excluding LULUCF) were 409 million tone CO2e of which, 73.96% was from Agriculture sector, 14.46% from Waste sector, 10.62% from Energy sector and 0.96% was from Industrial Processes and Product Use sector.

Under the Paris Agreement, India has submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which does not bind it to any sector specific mitigation obligation or action. The goal is to reduce overall emission intensity of its GDP and improve energy efficiency of its economy over time.

The ongoing measures to reduce methane emissions are as follows:

1. The National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, involves climate resilient practices including methane reduction practices in rice cultivation. These practices contribute to substantial reduction of methane emissions.
2. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project has developed several technologies with mitigation potential for methane from rice viz.
   1. System for Rice Intensification – The technique has potential to enhance rice yield from 36-49% with about 22-35% less water than conventional transplanted rice;
   2. Direct Seeded Rice – The system reduces methane emissions as it does not involve raising nurseries, puddling and transplanting. Unlike transplanted paddy cultivation, standing water is not maintained in this system; and
   3. Crop Diversification Programme – Methane emissions is avoided due to diversion of paddy to alternate crops like pulses, oilseeds, maize, cotton and agro forestry.
3. Capacity building programmes are conducted through Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the country for creating awareness on climate resilient practices.
4. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) is implementing National Livestock Mission, which inter alia, includes Breed Improvement and Balanced Rationing. Feeding livestock with superior quality balanced ration is helping to reduce methane emissions from the livestock.
5. Government of India promotes green fodder production, silage making, chaff cutting, and total mixed ration under National Livestock Mission with a view to reduce methane emissions from livestock.
6. Through initiatives like ‘The Gobar (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) –Dhan’ scheme and New National Biogas and Organic Manure Programme, cattle waste utilisation is being incentivised, in addition to production of clean energy invillages. The Gobardhan scheme, inter alia, supports biodegradable waste recovery and conversion of waste into resources and reduction of methane emissions.

 

Current Affair 2:

Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme

 

The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme (DEAF Scheme) was established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2014 for the promotion of depositors’ interest and for any other related purposes deemed necessary by the RBI.

A specific account is maintained by RBI for Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF). RBI has directed the following types of amounts to be transferred to this fund.

• The credit balance of any deposit account that is maintained with the banks and has not been operated for ten years or more.
• Any amount remaining unclaimed for ten years or more.

As per RBI circular dated 02 February 2015, it is mandatory for banks to display on their websites, the list of unclaimed deposits/inoperative accounts which are inactive or inoperative for more than 10 years.

The Reserve Bank of India today announced a ‘100 Days 100 Pays’ campaign for banks to trace and settle the top 100 unclaimed deposits of every bank in every district of the country within 100 days. This measure will complement the ongoing efforts and initiatives by the Reserve Bank to reduce the quantum of unclaimed deposits in the banking system and return such deposits to their rightful owners/ claimants.

Provision for refund of the amount, if claimed by the depositor

The DEAF scheme provides the option for depositors to reclaim the amount, even after it has been transferred to DEAF.

 

A Committee constituted to manage DEAF

RBI’s notification about the constitution of the DEAF Scheme, provides for formation of a committee to administer and manage the DEAF.

 

Current Affair 3:

National Geoscience Awards

 

News:

Current Affair 4:

Production and export of Steel in India

 

Steel is a deregulated sector and the targets for steel production, domestic consumption and export are not set by the Government. The decisions related to steel production, domestic consumption and export are taken by the individual steel producers on the basis of market demand and other commercial considerations. The details of production, consumption and export during the last three years and current year are under: -

Current Affair 5:

Jammu to pioneer India's first Cannabis Medicine Project

 

News:

‘Cannabis Research Project’ of CSIR-IIIM Jammu is a first of its kind in India initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Private Public Partnership with a Canadian firm, which has a great potential to put substance of abuse for the good of mankind especially for patients suffering from neuropathies, cancer and epilepsy.

CSIR-IIIM is the oldest scientific research institute in India with the history of discovering mint way back in 1960s, the centre of purple revolution and now the Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM is going to make it more prestigious in terms of scientific research in India.

This project of CSIR-IIIM is important from the perspective of Atma- Nirbhar Bharat as it will be able to produce export quality drugs meant for different kinds of neuropathies, diabetic pains etc.

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