Current Affairs 9th November 2017

Current Affairs 9th November 2017 - Important Points

• HS Prannoy, Saina Nehwal beat title favourites to become new National Champions on - 8th November 2017
• India slips to 7th position in Business Optimism Ranking by - Grant Thornton International Business Report
• Morocco launches earth observation satellite on - 7th November 2017
• Pollution in Delhi-NCR : A Chronic Problem
• Linking of Aadhaar with insurance policy mandatory by -  IRDAI
• Public awareness campaign through text messages to be launched by - RBI

Current Affairs 9th November 2017 - Details

HS Prannoy, Saina Nehwal beat title favourites to become new National Champions on - 8th November 2017

As per the most recent Grant Thornton International Business Report, India has dropped down to the position 7 in the Business Optimism Index in the September quarter, from the 2nd position in the last three months.
The survey states that this ranking is showing the clear signs of lag in the economy.
As per Grant Thornton’s International Business Report, Indonesia is at the top of the ranking, followed by Finland 2nd, the Netherlands 3rd, Philippines 4th, Austria 5th and Nigeria 6th.

Optimism is gone down-

• As per this quarterly Business Optimism Index, Indian businesses have shown a little trust over revenue expectations in the next single year.
• There is a drastic fall in profitability confidence with 54% showing optimism as against 69% in the last quarter.
• According to the survey other factors like expectations of a boost in selling prices and exports have also suffered a little fall in optimism in this quarter.
  Optimism up or remained intact-
• As per this survey, Indian businesses left optimistic about the boost in employment as 54% respondents articulated the urge to increase hiring in the coming year, a 3-point rise from June quarter.
• Other areas where the optimism remained unbroken were an investment in plant and machinery and Research & Development.
• But it is assumed that the Government’s actions and reforms along with the major jump in Ease of Doing Business Rankings will take back optimism in Indian Business in the next few quarters.
• Indian businesses also recognized a shortage of finance and lack of skilled workers as pain points of India Inc taking the 2nd and the 3rd spot accordingly.

HS Prannoy, Saina Nehwal beat title favourites to become new National Champions on - 8th November 2017

H S Prannoy defeated Kidambi Srikanth in the men’s singles final at the 82 Senior National Championship, which was organized in Nagpur, Maharashtra on 8th November 2017.
The 2nd-positioned Prannoy, who secured his career-best ranking of World No 11 last week, got the better off top number Srikanth 21-15, 16-21, 21-7 in a 49-minute game.
The two players have already played against each other 4 times in their international career and Srikanth outshine as the winner on the last three games. The only time Prannoy beat Srikanth was way late at the 2011 Tata Open.
In the women’s singles event, World No 11 Saina Nahwal beat top placed World No 2 PV Sindhu in straight sets of 21-17, 27-25 to win the National championship. Saina reached the women's singles final of the tournament after defeating fifth positioned Anura Prabhudesai 21-11 21 -10.
In mixed doubles, the pair of Satwik Sai Raj R and Ashwini Ponnappa defeated top positioned World No 16 pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy 21-9, 20-22, 21-17 to secure the mixed doubles title.
More about Indian National Badminton Championships

• The Championship is organized to facilitate the best badminton players in India.
• The tournament was started in 1934 and until 1960s foreign players were also allowed to participate in it.
• In the National Championship’s 2016 edition, Sourabh Verma had secured the men’s singles title after defeating Lakshya Sen 21-13, 21-12, while in the women’s category Rituparna Das had secured the title by defeating Reshma Karthik 21-12, 21-14.

Morocco launches earth observation satellite on - 7th November 2017

Morocco on 7th November 2017 successfully released an earth observation satellite called “Mohammed VI-A”. The satellite was released by European consortium Arianespace's Vega rocket from French Guyana Space Centre.
More about the satellite

• The Mohammed VI-A satellite is an Earth observation satellite constructed for Morocco by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor and Airbus as co-prime.
• The 3-axis stabilized satellite weighed approximately 1,110 kg during launch.
• It will be helpful for mapping and land surveying activities along with regional development and agricultural monitoring.
• It will also be used for record the changes in the environment and desertification and in the prevention and management of natural calamities and for border and coastal surveillance.
  Other Details
• The launch was the 11th continuous successful launch of a Vega rocket since 2012.
• The payload including the optical instruments, the ground segment for image processing and production and the image transmission subsystem were supplied by Thales Alenia Space.
• Airbus was in charge to provide the platform and the ground segment for mission planning and satellite control and of its integration.
• The Mohammed VI-A is the 150 number satellites built by Thales Alenia Space to be launched by Arianespace, which has 15 other satellites from this manufacturer in its order.
  Significance of the satellite-
• The space imagery will play an important role in the launching of national strategies for socio-economic development of Morocco, especially related to the agricultural which constitutes one of the main pillars of the Moroccan economy.
• Apart from this, the satellite will also facilitate in land management, through effective control of housing and buildings, as well as tighter monitoring of slum elimination.
• It will also help Morocco to better manage water resources and underground water.

Pollution in Delhi-NCR : A Chronic Problem

Delhi-NCR, is an union territory which is administrated by the central and state governments. According to 2011 census it shelters nearly 167.5 lakh people. The air pollution has been a serious problem of Delhi.The condition has worsens so badly that Government planned to shut down the schools due to the fear of respiratory diseases. The Delhi government has declared a slew of measure to cop up the problem. The immediate actions which were taken by the government include the Ban on construction activity and closing of the Badarpur power station.
Air Pollution in Delhi

• It’s a well know fact that air pollution is a great hazard for health in the urban areas.
• The air pollution in Delhi has undergone through several control measures .There have been attempts to figure out the level of pollutants and to reduce them.
• This article provides an evidence-based study of the status of air pollution in Delhi and its effects on health and control measures instituted by the government.
• The world health organization released the data about the urban air in September 2011. This revealed that Delhi had crossed the maximum PM10 limit by almost 10-times at 198 µg/m3.
• Emission from vehicle and industrial activities were found to be linked with outdoor as well as indoor air pollution in Delhi. Studies on air pollution and mortality show that increased air pollution enhanced natural mortality and morbidity rate in Delhi.
  Control Measures Instituted By Delhi Government
• The Central Pollution Control Board was set up in 1974 under the Water Act. It is the main watchdog for launching the functions stated in the environmental acts, application of National Air Quality Monitoring Programmed and various other related activities.
• At state level, The Delhi Pollution Control Board is the body responsible for environment protection. One of the earliest stands taken by judiciary was the verdict explained by the Supreme Court of India to tackle with the chronic problem of vehicle pollution in Delhi in 1985.
• Thus, the orders of closing down of harmful and noxious industries, brick kilns and hot-mix plants working in Delhi.
  Vehicular Policy
• Delhi government has taken various vehicle control measures to handle air pollution in Delhi which include introduction of unleaded petrol (1998), catalytic converter in passenger cars (1995), deduction of benzene content in fuels (2000) and deduction of sulfur content in diesel (2000).
• Others controlling ways are construction of flyovers, Metro rail and CNG for commercial transport vehicles, wiping out of very old commercial vehicles, implementation of mandatory “Pollution Under Control” certificate with 3-month validity and stringent enforcement of emission norms complying with Bharat Stage II/Euro-II or higher emission norms.
• The campaigns about Environmental awareness are done at regular intervals. The Delhi Pollution Control Board does monthly Ambient Air Quality Monitoring at 40 different locations in Delhi, and takes corrective measures wherever required.
  Industrial Policy-
• Delhi noticed its 1st Industrial Policy in 1982. The second Industrial policy (2010–2021) was passed by the Department of Industries, Government of Delhi. There are many other organizations that collaborate synergistically with the government to reduce air pollution in Delhi.
• These organizations are The Energy and Resources Institute, the Indian Association for Air Pollution Control and the Centre for Science and Environment.
• Some government companies like Factories Inspectorate are also actively involved in the control of pollution.
• Research and academic institutions include National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Indian Institute of Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research institutions, Indian Agricultural Research Institute and other academic institutions are also associated in the control of pollution.
  
  The Recent Measures Taken By Central Government
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated The National Air Quality Index which is under process.
• This will help pollution control agencies to take more corrective measures to control the pollutants.
• The global experience shows that the increase in pollutions levels jointly boosted economic activity but an informed and insightful policy reply decreases the progression of pollution.
• The dare in front of central government is to come out with such laws which would make wealthy polluters pay and spread green solutions with handsome incentives.

The Recent Measures Taken By Central Government

•  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated The National Air Quality Index which is under process.
• This will help pollution control agencies to take more corrective measures to control the pollutants.
• The global experience shows that the increase in pollutions levels jointly boosted economic activity but an informed and insightful policy reply decreases the progression of pollution. The dare in front of central government is to come out with such laws which would make wealthy polluters pay and spread green solutions with handsome incentives.
• The National Green Tribunal has instructed that diesel vehicles more than 10 years old not ply on Delhi roads.
• Coal burning for electricity generation can be decrease down if solar power is promoted through a national scheme.
• US cities are leasing out to homes solar panels. It is very smart solutions that can dramatically improve the air in urban India, without hampering the quality of life that citizens desire for.
  
  Conclusion :
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi Government has taken various steps to decrease down the air pollution level in the region during the past 10 years.
• But after Diwali, the thick smog with high level of particulate matter showed the loopholes in the efforts made by the government.
• The efforts made by the government itself are not enough. It requires the active participation of the community in order to make a concrete effect in the decrease down of pollution.
• The public transport and maximum utilization of Metro train should be encouraged. People are needed to be educated to switch-off their vehicles while waiting at traffic signals.
• The ever-increasing influx of migrants in Delhi can be managed by creating job chances in the peripheral and sub-urban areas.
• Even in the past many great scholars from Charaka to Hippocrates have
  pressurized the importance of environment in human health.
• Therefore, everyone who plays any role in affecting the environment in their ways needs to sincerely contribute to protect people's health by controlling all those reasons which affect it.

Linking of Aadhaar with insurance policy mandatory by -  IRDAI

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India on 8th November 2017 declared that the linkage of Aadhaar number with insurance policies is mandatory under the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) 2nd Amendment Rules, 2017.
In June 2017, the Union Government informed the Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Second Amendment Rules, 2017.
The Rules make Aadhaar and PAN mandatory for utilizing financial services including insurance and also for linking the existing policies with it. Currently, there are 24 life insurance companies and 33 general insurers operating in the Nation.

More about IRDAI

• IRDAI is an autonomous top statutory body that instructs and develops the insurance industry in India.
• It was composed by Parliament of India vide Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999.

Public awareness campaign through text messages to be launched by - RBI

The RBI would soon be starting a new public awareness campaign via text messages to inform public about various banking regulations and available facilities. The institution 1st plans to send messages to people, cautioning them for falling victim to unsolicited and fictitious offers received through emails, SMSes and phone calls. The advise would be sent out from ‘RBISAY’ sender id.
Earlier also, the pinnacle bank has sent alerts through press releases time to time to educate the public against such offers. However, this would be the first attempt that the institution would be using the same type of media -SMS and emails, like those used by the frauds.
The institution has also initiated a helpline, through which the public can get more information on fake calls and emails as well as on investing properly and cautiously in chit funds. They only need to give a missed call on 86919-60000 and the information will be passed to them through Interactive Voice Response System.
The public can also pass their feedback on this campaign by email.