06 July 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. Airtel Payments Bank to sell term insurance of Bharti AXA Life
- Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti AXA Life Insurance to offer the Bharti AXA Life POS Saral Jeevan Bima Yojana through its extensive network of banking points across the country.
- Saral Jeevan Bima Yojana is a pure life term insurance plan which is aimed at the underinsured and un-insured segments in India.
- Any individual between the ages of 18 and 55 can enrol for this product without the need to undergo a medical examination.
- The consumers are offered the option to choose a policy cover of either 3 lakh or 5 lakh at affordable premiums.
- Both Airtel Payments Bank and Bharti AXA Life Insurance would provide an end-to-end digital journey with zero documentation and instant confirmation of policy issuance.
- The life cover option will soon be extended up to Rs 25 lakh.
- Last year, Airtel Payments Bank had also partnered with Bharti AXA Life Insurance to offer Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY).
Note:
- Anubrata Biswas is the MD and CEO, Airtel Payments Bank.
- Vikas Seth, MD and CEO, Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
2. PMMSY: A new scheme to promote processing in the fishery sector
- While presenting Union Budget 2019-20, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new scheme to promote processing in the fishery sector.
- The new scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), will be established under the Department of Fisheries for a robust fisheries management framework.
- She also announced the creation of a new ministry for fisheries sector Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
- The new ministry was formed in order to promote the allied farm sector that has huge potential to help achieve the government's target of doubling farmers' income by 2022.
- The budget allocated for the newly carved out Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is Rs 3,737 crore.
- Of the total budget allocated to the new ministry, Rs 2,932.25 crore is estimated to be spent on various schemes to promote animal husbandry and dairying, while Rs 804.75 crore for the fisheries sector in the current fiscal.
Source: The Economic Times
3. Budget 2019: Rs 3.18 lakh crore allocated to the defence budget
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention the defence outlay in the budget speech in the Lok Sabha on 05th July 2019.
- During an interview to Finance Minister Sitharaman said she had - an allocation of Rs 3.18 lakh crore was made in the Union Budget to the defence sector for 2019-20 as against last year's Rs 2.98 lakh crore.
- Out of the total allocation, Rs 1,08,248 crore has been set aside for capital outlay to purchase new weapons, platforms and military hardware.
- The revenue expenditure, which includes expenses on salaries and maintenance of establishments, is pegged at Rs 2,10 lakh crore as against Rs 1.88 lakh crore for 2018-19.
- The outlay for pension is Rs 1.12 lakh crore to accommodate the rise in view of the implementation of the one rank one pay principle.
- The interim budget presented on February 1 ahead of the general elections made a Rs 3.05 lakh crore ($43 billion) outlay for the defence sector.
Source: The Economic Times
4. Budget 2019: To help marginal cultivators government proposes 10,000 FPOs
- The government plans to form 10,000 farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in the next five years.
- This is expected to help small and marginal cultivators team up to get lower rates for inputs and sell produce at higher rates.
- The budget proposal to set up 10,000 FPOs is a path-breaking step to ensure economies of scale for farmers.
- An FPO can raise capital only from farmer members or get grants from the government, which are usually meagre.
- Currently, 3,500 FPOs have been registered and another 3,000 are under promotion, said Pravesh Sharma, former head of the Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium.
Source: The Economic Times
National Affairs
5. PM Modi pays tribute to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth anniversary
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to BJP icon and the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth anniversary.
- Dr Mukherjee was born on the 6th of July, 1901 in Kolkata.
- He was a prominent Indian politician, barrister and academician and served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet.
- He laid the foundation of Patriotism-based politics in independent India and worked untiringly for national integration.
- His supreme sacrifice for India’s unity has made him immortal.
Source: News on air
6. Govt ropes in IBM for a pilot study on using AI, weather tech in agriculture
- The Centre on 03rd July 2019 inked pact with IBM India for undertaking a pilot study to utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) and weather technology solutions in agriculture in one district each in three states.
- The pilot study will be conducted for the Kharif crop season 2019 in three districts - Bhopal, Rajkot and Nanded - in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, respectively.
- IBM’s Watson Decision Platform will give solution in the field of agriculture through AI and weather technology at village level/ farm level to provide weather forecast and soil moisture information on the pro bono basis to help farmers for taking decisions regarding water and crop management for better production and productivity.
Source: Livemint
7. First ever IICTF to be held in India
- The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) to be held in New Delhi, India.
- It is a unique initiative for taking farmers, artisans & other members of cooperatives directly to the global trade arena which will be held from 11th till 13th October 2019 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
- The Trade Fair is aimed at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity.
Source: PIB
8. Indian Railways commissions longest electrified tunnel between Cherlopalli-Rapuru Station
- South Central Railway has commissioned the longest electrified tunnel, measuring 6.6 Kms between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations.
- The tunnel is part of the recently completed Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam new railway line.
- The tunnel has been completed in a record time of 43 months.
- It is situated between Cherlopalli and Rapuru Railway stations in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh.
- New Australian Tunnelling Method (NATM) is used and the cost incurred is Rs.460 crores
- The height of the tunnel (rail level to roof) is 6.5 meters and the minimum height of the contact wire is maintained at 5.2 meters.
About South Central Railway
- It is one of the 18 zones of Indian Railways.
- The jurisdiction of the zone is spread over the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, and some portions of Madhya Pradesh.
- It has three divisions under its administration, which include Nanded, Secunderabad, Hyderabad.
Source: Zee News
9. India's first highway corridors for e-vehicles expected by March 2020
- India's first highway corridors with charging stations for electric vehicles are expected to come up along the Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra highways by 2020.
- The combined stretch of the corridors on the Yamuna Expressway (between Delhi and Agra) and the National Highway 48 (between Delhi and Jaipur) will be 500 km.
- Eighteen charging stations will be set up on the two routes. Eight will be between Delhi-Agra and 10 between Delhi-Jaipur.
- On a full charge, an SUV-like vehicle can travel 180 km, he said, adding that a DC charger takes around 1.25 hours to fully charge such a vehicle.
- The e-corridors are proposed to be the first under the Ease of Doing Business Programme (EODB) of the Advance Services for Social and Administrative Reforms (ASSAR), a private entity which is supported by the central government, an official engaged in the project said.
Source: The Economic Times
Appointment
10. IMF Chief Christine Lagarde nominated as president of European Central Bank
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde was nominated as the president of the European Central Bank.
- The nomination means Lagarde will step down two years before the end of her second five-year term at the helm of the IMF.
- Christine Lagarde would succeed Mario Draghi, whose term ends on October 31.
About Christine Lagarde
- She was the first woman to head the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- She joined IMF in 2011.
- In 2005 she was appointed France’s trade minister and in 2007 as finance minister.
About the European Central Bank
- European Central Bank was established on 1 June 1998.
- ECB headquarters is located in Ostend district, Frankfurt, Germany.
- It is the central bank of 19 European Union (EU) countries which have adopted Euro.
Source: The Hindu Business Line
Survey & Reports
11. India could lose the equivalent of 34 million jobs in 2030 due to global warming: ILO
- The International Labour Organisation (ILO) released its report ‘Working on a Warmer Planet: The Impact of Heat Stress on Labour Productivity and Decent Work.
- According to the report, India will be the most affected country due to global warming because of its large population.
Key highlights of the report:
- By 2030 the 2.2 per cent of total working hours worldwide is projected to be lost every year, either because it is too hot to work or because workers have to work at a slower pace.
- The global productivity losses would be around 80 million full-time jobs (equivalent to an economic loss of US$ 2,400 billion).
- The accumulated global financial loss due to heat stress is expected to reach USD 2,400 billion by 2030.
- Heat stress is defined as generally occurring at above 35 degrees Celsius, in places where there is high humidity.
- Temperatures exceeding 39-degree Celsius can kill.
- In agriculture – 60% of working hours will be lost due to heat stress by 2030.
- In construction – 19% of global working hours to be lost.
Projections for India
- India is expected to lose an equivalent of 34 million jobs as a result of global warming and heat stress by the year 2030.
- The country most affected by heat stress in India, which lost 4.3 per cent of working hours in 1995 and is projected to lose 8 per cent of working hours in 2030.
- Although most of the impact in India will be felt in the agricultural sector.
- More and more working hours are expected to be lost in the construction sector where heat stress affects both male and female workers.
- ILO report also noted that Ahmedabad (in Gujarat) incorporated a cool roofs initiative into its 2017 Heat Action Plan. Under it notably provided access to affordable cool roofs for city’s slum residents and for urban poor.
About ILO
- The International Labour Organization is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social justice and promote decent work by setting international labour standards.
- It was the first specialised agency of the UN.
- It was founded on 29 October 1919 with Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Source: International Business Times
Agreement & Deals
12. Hong Kong to provide over $9 million aid for Cyclone Fani victims
- The Hong Kong government has approved over $900,000 for relief and rehabilitation work in cyclone-hit Odisha that could benefit around 45,100 victims, China's official media reported.
- Three grants totalling 7.032 million Hong Kong dollars (about $902,278) from Hong Kong's Disaster Relief Fund to three agencies have been approved for the cyclone victims in Odisha.
- A Hong Kong SAR government spokesperson said that "the cyclone had affected more than 15 million people in Odisha and the grants will be used to provide hygiene kits, kitchen kits, water kits and education kits as well as household and shelter kits, to benefit around 45,100 cyclone victims.
Note:
- Cyclone Fani, an extremely severe cyclonic storm, made a landfall in Odisha’s Puri in May 2019.
- Cyclone ‘Fani’ is pronounced as ‘Foni’. The name was suggested by Bangladesh. The Bengali word 'Foni' refers to ‘Snake’ or ‘hood of the snake’.
- The wind speed of normal cyclones go up to 90 km per hour, but Fani has the potential to touch a 195 kmph speed.
Source: International Business Times
Sports
13. Pakistan's Shoaib Malik confirms ODI retirement
- Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik confirmed his retirement from one-day cricket without making a farewell appearance in his side's victory over Bangladesh on 05th July 2019.
- He had admitted last year that he intended to quit one-day cricket after the 2019 World Cup.
- He will continue to play the Twenty20 format, but he admitted it was an emotional moment to call time on his ODI career.
- He appeared in 287 one-day internationals and scored 7,534 runs with nine hundred.
- His last appearance came in the defeat against India in Manchester on June 16.
- As an off-spinner, he finished with 158 wickets, while he also captained Pakistan in 41 ODIs.
Source: The Economic Times
Important Days
14. World Zoonoses Day observed on July 6
- The World Zoonoses Day is observed every year on July 6.
- The day is observed to create awareness on zoonotic diseases, how to prevent them and what actions to take when exposed.
- The day has been observed since 1885 to mark the day Louis Pasteur administered his first rabies vaccine.
- Millions of people across the globe every year fall prey to the diseases like swine flu, bird flu, cat scratch fever, rabies, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, cowpox, Ebola, SARS, hantavirus, anthrax, monkeypox, etc. these diseases are known as zoonotic diseases.
About Zoonotic diseases
- Zoonotic diseases are caused when animals carrying dangerous pathogens come in contact with humans. Some animals are hosts of these pathogens or are infected by them.
- People who interact with animals on a daily basis and many also keep pets or others.
- When the climate is warmer, it tends to create a change in the behaviour of vectors (animals who harbour dangerous pathogens like virus and bacteria).
Source: newsd.
15. International Day of Cooperatives observed on July 6
- The International Day of Cooperatives observed every year on the first Saturday of July since 1923.
- The aim of this celebration is to increase awareness of cooperatives.
- 2019 theme: COOPS 4 DECENT WORK
- According to a recent estimate, cooperatives around the world employ or are the main source of income for more than 279 million people—almost 10% of humanity’s total working population.
Source: UN