Current Affairs 12th & 13th July 2019
Important Current Affairs
Current Affairs 12th & 13th July 2019
Operation Thirst:
What is it? It is an all- India drive launched by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to curb menace of selling unauthorized packaged drinking water in railway stations.
Spike missile:
Context: Indian Army places an order for Israeli anti-tank Spike missiles.
Israeli anti-tank Spike missiles from Israel are multi-platform, cutting-edge precise, multi-mission, and multi-range electro-optical missiles. These missiles have capabilities of fire, observe, update, fire-and-forget as well as allowing attack of hidden targets.
Israeli anti-tank Spike missiles are manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
These missiles have the capability of targeting anything at a range of four kilometers. These can be deployed in both plains and mountains.
India Holds First Ever Artificial Limb Fitment Camp in Tanzania
The doctrine of Humanity, India offering to the world since long ago through ‘actions’.
The six-week-long Artificial Limb Fitment Camp in Tanzania which benefited over 500 differently abled Tanzanians.
The camp was jointly organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and Jaipur Foot and held at Muhimbilli Orthopedic Institute, Dar es Salaam.
The camp provided free of cost artificial limbs to over 500 differently abled Tanzanians by a 7-member technical team from Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), Jaipur.
About BMVSS
BMVSS is the world’s largest organization of India which provides assistance including artificial limbs, calipers and other aids and appliances totally free of charge.
The organization has until now rehabilitated over 1.78 million disabled.
It provides aids mostly in India and 27 countries across the world.
It holds on the spot limb/caliper fitment camps in different districts and remote areas of India.
The camp held in Tanzania was the first ever camp in the country.
The camp was attended by Tanzania’s Minister of Health Ummy Mwalimu as well as Indian High Commissioner.
World Population Day is observed on 11 July
World Population Day was observed on July 11. It is observed every year. The day focuses on the urgency and the significance of issues related to population. The Day has been celebrated for nearly three decades now.
The Day brings attention to the consequences of increasing population and how it affects the overall development plans and programmes.
Significance of the Day:
World Population Day is meant to raise awareness about solutions related to the issues of the growing population. One of the greatest threat that the growing population faces is the quick depletion of natural resources and the threat that it poses to sustainability.
On this day, every individual must realize the responsibility they have towards one another. Several organizations like International Organisations like United Nation Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), governments and non-governmental organizations conduct educational activities and other events on this day.
History:
The event was first suggested by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989. Dr. K.C.Zachariah suggested the day in which population reached Five Billion when he worked as Senior Demographer at World Bank on 11 July 1987.
The total population in the world is 7.7 billion as per 1 July 2019. The list of top 10 highest populated countries is given below:
Bharatmala Pariyojana
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin J Gadkari mentioned the Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana received the approval with the financial outlay of Rs 5,35,000 crores
Their main aim is to develop 24,800 km Highways along with 10,000 km residual National Highways Development Project (NHDP)
The period of 5 years.
The outlay of Rs 25,000 crore is approved for the development of Border & International Connectivity roads
The roads are of a length of 2000 km.
Indo-Nepal Border, the balance work of Piprakothi-Motihari-Raxaul on NH-28A of about 69 km length.
The cost of approximately Rs 334 crore awarded in December 2018.
The project is expected to complete in 12 months.
About Bharatmala Pariyojana:
It is a centrally-sponsored and funded road and highways project of the Union Government.
It was launched on July 31, 2015.
The total investment for 83,677 km committed new highways.
It is estimated around ₹5.35 lakh crore as the single largest outlay for a government road construction scheme.
Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2019
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has released its Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2019. The report said that in the 101 countries assessed there are 31 low income, 68 middle income and 2 high income and about 1.3 billion people are multi-dimensionally poor.
The 2019 global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) provides detailed information to the policymakers who needs to effectively target their policies. The MPI sheds light on disparities in how people experience poverty, revealing vast inequalities among countries and among the poor themselves.
MPI:
The MPI parameter of the Index explored the ways in which people experience poverty in their health, education, and standard of living beyond income as the sole indicator of poverty.
This year’s MPI results show that more than two-thirds of the multidimensionally poor 886 million people live in middle-income countries. A further 440 million live in low-income countries. In both groups, data show, simple national averages can hide enormous inequality in patterns of poverty within countries.
In India, there were 271 million fewer people in poverty in 2016 than in 2006, while in Bangladesh the number dropped by 19 million between 2004 and 2014.
Kerala launches Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs (NORKA)
The Kerala State government has decided to form Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs (NORKA), a Non-Resident Keralites (NRK) investment company which aims to channel investments from overseas Keralites for major infrastructure development in the state. The NRKs will hold 74 percent stake and the state government will hold the remaining 26 percent stake. The government focuses to utilize NRI investments for implementing various projects. Under NORKA, the company can set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) or subsidiary company for the purpose.
NORKA:
The government of Kerala has launched department of Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs (NORKA) to redress the grievances of non-resident Keralites. It aimed to strengthen the relationship between the NRKs and the Government of Kerala and the culmination of efforts for finding out the solution to problems faced by NRK community.
Aim:
NORKA Roots has been established by NORKA. It will act as a counsel for the non-resident Keralites. Non-Resident Keralites Welfare Agency has also been established to implement schemes for the welfare and benefit of NRKs to channelize their expertise and resources. It will do more activities in all spheres that are connected with NRKs.
Functions:
NORKA can solve the petitions and take needed action on threats to the lives and property of those who are left at home, tracing of missing persons abroad, sponsor compensation, sponsors harassment, recruiting agents frauds, education facilities for children of NRKs, more flights introduction, etc.