10 JUNE 2021 CURRENT AFFAIRS

1.QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2022

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has entered the top 1,000 of the QS World University rankings for the first time, as its new undergraduate engineering programme now makes it eligible for the rating.

About

• QS World University Rankings is published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British company specialising in the analysis of higher education institutions around the world.

Top 5 universities in World

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA
2. University of Oxford, UK
3. Stanford University, USA
4. Cambridge University, UK
5. Harvard University, USA 

Indian scenario

• No Indian institute secured a position among the top 100 universities of the world.
• Overall, there are 22 Indian institutions in the top 1,000 list compared to 21 last year.
• IIT Bombay maintained its position as the top Indian institution for the fourth consecutive year, although it fell five places in the global rankings to the joint 177th position.
• IIT Delhi (185th rank) overtook the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (186th rank), giving India three institutions in the world’s top 200.
• IISc was also declared the world’s top research university by the indicator of most citations per faculty member, when adjusted for faculty size.
• Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham are no longer among the top 1,000, having dropped from the 801-1,000 band to 1,001-1,200.

Source : The Hindu

2.OPERATION PANGEA XIV

A record number of fake online pharmacies have been shut down under Operation Pangea XIV targeting the sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines and medical products.

About:

• The operation coordinated by INTERPOL involved police, customs and health regulatory authorities from 92 countries. Indian agencies also participated in the operation, said an official of the Central Bureau of Investigation that is the nodal body for the Interpol in the country.
• It resulted in 1.1 Lakh web links including websites and online marketplaces being closed down or removed, the highest number since the first Operation Pangea in 2008.
• Raising public awareness of the potential dangers of buying medicines online was also part of Operation Pangea XIV. 

Source : The Hindu

3.RENGMA

The Rengma Nagas in Assam have written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding an autonomous district council amid a decision by the Central and the State governments to upgrade the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) into a territorial council by the name of Karbi-Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC).

About:

• Rengma is a Naga tribe found in Nagaland and Assam states of India.
• According to the 2011 Population Census of India, Rengma population stands at 62,951.
• Ngada festival: The harvest festival of the Rengmas is called Ngada. It is an eight-day Ngada festival that marks the end of the agricultural season. Ngadah is celebrated just after the harvest, towards the end of November. 

Source : The Hindu

4.GROUNDNUTS (PEANUTS)

In a boost to groundnut exports from eastern region, a consignment of 24 metric tonne (MT) of groundnuts was exported to Nepal from West Bengal.

About:

• According to the third advance estimates of oilseeds production by the ministry of agriculture and farmer welfare, the groundnut production in 2020-21 is estimated at 101.19 lakh tonne against 99.52 lakh tonne estimated in 2019-20.
• Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnuts in the country, which is followed by Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Rajasthan.
• The crop is grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons. The Kharif season has a share of more than 75% of the total production.
• Traditionally, Gujarat and Rajasthan have a major share in groundnut exports. The groundnut exports from West Bengal would boost exports potential of the crop from the eastern region.

Source : PIB

5.MANGO

To boost mango exports from eastern region, sixteen varieties of mangoes including three GI certified Khirsapati & Lakshmanbhog (West Bengal), Zardalu (Bihar) are being exported to Bahrain.

About:

• Mango in India is also referred as ‘king of fruits’ and referred as Kalpavriksha (wish granting tree) in ancient scriptures.
• While most of the states in India have mango plantations, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh followed by Telangana, Karnataka and Bihar have major share in total production of the fruit.
• Alphonso, Kesar, Totapuri and Banganpalli are leading export varieties from India.
• Mango exports primarily take place in three forms: fresh mango, mango pulp, and mango slice. 

Source : The Hindu

6.CENTRAL ADOPTION RESOURCE AUTHORITY (CARA)

The Supreme Court has directed the States/UTs to take stringent action against private individuals and NGOs who invite people to illegally adopt children orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic. It said that it was illegal to invite strangers to adopt children without the involvement of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).

About:

• Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is the nodal body for adoption of Indian children. CARA primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated /recognised adoption agencies.
• It regulates in-country and inter-country adoptions (in accordance with the provisions of The Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003).
• Status:  It is an autonomous and a statutory body of the Union Women and Child Development Ministry.
• The mandatory registration of CCIs and linking to CARA has been provided in Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
• It was set up in 1990.
• In 2018, CARA has allowed individuals in a live-in relationship to adopt children from and within India.

HQ: New Delhi. 

Source : The Hindu

7.APPOINTMENT OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Anup Chandra Pandey, a retired Uttar Pradesh-cadre IAS officer, to the post of Election Commissioner. Following the elevation of Sushil Chandra as the CEC, the position of an EC was vacant since April 13.

Appointment of Election Commissioners

• View of Constitution: The power to appoint the CEC and the ECs lies with the President of India under Article 324(2) of the Constitution, which states that “the President shall fix the number of ECs in a manner he sees fit, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament”. Thus, Article 324(2) left it open for the Parliament to legislate on the issue.
• Procedure: But, in the absence of any Parliamentary law governing the appointment issue, the ECs are appointed by the government of the day, without pursuing any consultation process. There is no concept of collegium and no involvement of the opposition.
• Tenure: The Commissioners are appointed for a 6-year period, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• Qualification: There are no prescribed qualifications for their appointment, although convention dictates that only senior (serving or retired) civil servants, of the rank of the Cabinet Secretary or Secretary to the GoI or an equivalent rank, will be appointed. 

Source : The Hindu

8.NATIONAL SCHEME SANCTIONING COMMITTEE (NSSC) OF SWACHH BHARAT MISSION (GRAMEEN)

The National Scheme Sanctioning Committee (NSSC) of SBM-G approved the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) of States and UTs. It allocated Rs. 40,700 crores under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) towards solid and liquid waste management (SLWM) arrangements support for over 2 Lakh Villages in 2021-22.

About:

• The National Scheme Sanctioning Committee (NSSC) of SBM-G works under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• It comprises representatives of Ministry of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, representative from State Governments apart sector experts.
• The NSSC reviewed the plans of all States and UTs and provided them guidance to intensify implementation as sanitation and hygiene are of paramount importance in the pandemic times.

Source : PIB

9.SURAKSHIT HUM SURAKSHIT TUM ABHIYAAN

NITI Aayog and Piramal Foundation launched Surakshit Hum Surakshit Tum Abhiyaan in 112 Aspirational Districts.

About:

• It aims to assist district administrations in providing home-care support to Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.
• The Abhiyaan is being part of a special initiative, Aspirational Districts Collaborative, in which local leaders, civil societies and volunteers work with district administrations to address emerging problems across key focus areas of the Aspirational Districts Programme.
• It will be led by district magistrates in partnership with over 1000 local NGOs, which will enlist and train over 1 lakh volunteers to connect with patients through inbound/outbound calls. 

Important Info :

Aspirational Districts Programme

• Background: In keeping with the PM Modi’s vision of a New India by 2022, Government of India launched the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts’ in January 2018.

• Objective: To transform some of the most underdeveloped districts of the country.

• How many? As of March 2020, NITI Aayog is working with stakeholders in 112 aspirational districts as West Bengal is not participating in this exercise.

Source : All India Radio

10.LADAKH TO BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL

Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) has signed a MoU with the Administration of Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh, to make it a clean, green and Carbon Neutral UT.

About:

• Under the MoU, various clean energy and energy efficiency programmes will be implemented such as solar mini and micro grid solutions, energy efficient lighting, energy storage-based solutions, efficient cooking stoves and electric mobility solutions in the UT.
• PM Modi, in his Independence Day speech of 2020, said that the Ladakh, Leh and Kargil region will be developed and declared to be a carbon neutral region, a first in the contry.
• While the concept of carbon neutral villages have been considered in India in the past and some villages in Kerala and Manipur have adopted it, this will be the first large region to be carbon neutral. 

Important Info :

• Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) is a 100% owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under Ministry of Power.

Source : Economic Times