WBCS Current Affairs 01/10/2016 to 15/10/2016 Extra

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1. India has ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change on the 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. India’s Permanent Representative to UN, Syed Akbaruddin handed over the Instrument of Ratification signed by President Pranab Mukherjee to the United Nations in New York. With this, India became 62nd country to ratify the agreement. These 62 countries including India are responsible for almost 52% of Green House Gases (GHG) emissions. The Paris Agreement on climate change will enter into force one month after 55 countries that account for 55% of global GHG emissions ratify the agreement. Background The Paris Agreement was adopted by more than 190 nations at the 21st Conference of Parties of UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in Paris in December 2015. It seeks to accelerate and intensify the actions and investment needed for a sustainable low carbon future. The agreement caps limit global temperature rise (global warming) to well below 2 degrees Celsius. It also seeks to funnel trillions of dollars to poor countries facing climate catastrophe. Way Forward India being world’s third largest emitter of GHGs, accounting for 4.1% of the total global emission was seeking more time earlier to complete its national processes as it feared that any hasty decision may impact its developmental projects. India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) pledge estimated a cost 2.5 trillion dollars for its climate-action plan. India will ask developed nations to provide 100 billion dollars per year in climate finance for developing nations.

2. The crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will be the chief guest for the 68th Republic Day celebrations on 26 January 2017. In this regard, announcement was made the by Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesman Vikas Swarup in New Delhi after the crown prince accepted invitation. Earlier Chief guests of Republic Day parades: 2016- Francois Hollande (French President), 2015- Barack Obama (US President), 2014- Shinzo Abe (Japanese Prime Minister), 2013- Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (King of Bhutan), 2012- Yingluck Shinawatra (Then Prime Minister of Thailand), 2011- Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (Then President of Indonesia). It should be noted France holds distinction of being the guest of honour for the maximum five times of Indian Republic Day parade followed by Bhutan (four times); Mauritius and Russia (three times each). India-UAE Relations India-UAE Relations deeply rooted in history and strategic cooperation which is driven by mutual aspirations of both countries. UAE is lynch-pin of the economic, defence and strategic strands of the India’s coordinated strategy to outreach west Asia. UAE is India’s third largest trading partner after China and the United States. Bilateral trade between UAE and India is around 60 billion dollars. Besides, there are also more than 2.6 million Indians living in the UAE and their annual remittance is estimated to be around 14 billion dollars.

3. The BRICS nations have adopted the ‘New Delhi Declaration on Education’ to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all. The declaration was adopted at fourth Meeting of BRICS Education Ministers Conference held in New Delhi. It was attended by Ministers of Education and assigned representatives of BRICS nations viz. Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa. Key Features Reiterates commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4) which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and the Education 2030 Framework for Action. Initiate actions to formulate country-specific targets within the broader scope of the SDG4. Integrate the SDG4 related targets with sub-national and the national level education sector development plans and programmes Build capacity at the subnational and national levels for measuring and monitoring progress towards SDG4 and corresponding targets using the indicators adopted by the UNGA. Share the best practices available in BRICS nations on collaboration in education, innovation and research through the BRICS Network University (BNU). Organize annual conference of BNU in country of current BRICS Chair. Encourage participation of more universities in BRICS University League to collaborative research and facilitate student mobility. Strengthening coordination within the BRICS TVET Working Group to develop national reports and share experience related to workforce demands and supply of skilled personnel. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) will be used for improving access to education, teacher development, enhancing quality of teaching-learning process etc. Developing a nodal institution within each country and also institutional network to share ICT policies, e-resources, including e-Libraries and Open Educational Resources.

4. The International Day of Non-violence is being celebrated on 2 October throughout the world on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Observance of this day seeks to promote the principles of non-violence through education and public awareness and is observed by all countries of the UN. In India, this day is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti to mark birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who was leader of Indian independence movement and also pioneer of philosophy of non-violence. About International day of Non-Violence The International Day of Non-violence was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) by passing the resolution in 2007 in an effort to spread the message of non-violence. The resolution reaffirms the universal relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence and desire to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.

5. The Delhi Police has launched a mobile application “Delhi Police Senior Citizen” for senior citizens to provide immediate assistance to them in distress. The facility was launched by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung at a function in New Delhi on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons (observed on October 1). Key Features of app The application has an SOS button integrated with a dedicated existing helpline for Senior Citizen – 1291. The app has been designed with features that allow users to press the SOS button in case of an emergency. The call will reach a dedicated station. If the user is unwell, an ambulance will be sent. In case for any other reason, a beat constable will be asked to contact the user. In case, the user does not respond to operator’s calls, a beat constable will swiftly visit the house to verify the reason of distress.

6. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has received total disclosure of Rs. 65,250 crore black money in the form of cash and other assets under the Income Disclosure Scheme, 2016. The scheme launched in June 2016 has provided a one-time opportunity to those who had not paid full taxes in the past. It had provided four-month window for declaring undisclosed income or black money and ended on 30 September 2016. Income Declaration Scheme The scheme had provided a one-time opportunity to black money holders who had not paid full taxes in the past to come clean by declaring their domestic undisclosed income and assets. Declaration were made in respect (i) Any undisclosed domestic income. (ii) Any investment in asset representing undisclosed income, upto financial year 2015-2016. The undisclosed income or black money and assets declared was liable to total 45% tax of the undisclosed income. Benefits of Declaration: (i) No wealth tax on asset declared. (ii) No enquiry under Income Tax Act or Wealth Tax Act. (iii) Immunity from the Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Act, 1988. The scheme gave an opportunity to the defaulter to come clean by paying more than normal tax and did not reward the dishonest tax defaulters.

7. Rajasthan has become the first state in India to adopt Central Government’s Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) in all its urban local bodies (ULB). Under this programme, around 5 lakh conventional street lights were replaced with LED street lights across the state. Key Facts The project was funded by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Public Energy Services Company under the administration of the Union Ministry of Power. Through implementation of this project, 152 million units of energy savings has been achieved so far have been and cost saving of Rs. 60 lakh daily to some municipalities. The energy saving has resulted in reduction of 225 tonnes of CO2 per day. The SLNP was launched in January 2015. Under the programme around 3.5 crore conventional street lights will be replaced with smart and energy efficient LED street lights by March 2019.

8. The National Mission on Bioeconomy has launched in Shillong, Meghalaya by the Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD). The mission is unique to south-east Asia and India has become one of the few countries to tap bio-resources. Key Facts The purpose of the mission is to boost rural economy by utilizing bio-resources. Besides, it can be optimally utilized can create a large number of jobs at village level. It also focuses on sustainable utilization of renewable biological resources for food, bio-energy and bio-based products through knowledge-based approaches. It has potential to generate new solutions for the planet’s major challenges in the field of energy, food, health, water, climate change and deliver social, economic and environmental benefits. Bioeconomy is a new concept and few countries like US, Canada, European Union (EU) and Australia have started initiatives in this field. India is the fast-growing bioeconomy at US 35 billion dollars in 2015, which can even rise to USD 100 billion in future. The Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD): It functions under the Department of Biotechnology, Union Ministry of Science and Technology.

9. According to the recent publication released by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Tamil Nadu accounts for the highest number flowering plants in the country. The publication titled Endemic Vascular Plants of India also revealed that almost one of every four species of flowering plants found in India are endemic to the country.

10. Pakistan has postponed the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit after India and four other countries announced to boycott the Summit. The summit was schedule to be held on November 9th and 10th, 2016 in Islamabad, capital city of Pakistan. Besides, it was also announced that new set of dates for holding the summit at Islamabad will be announced soon by Nepal, the Chair of SAARC. Comment Pakistan’s decision is a boost for India’s diplomatic efforts to corner Pakistan over the terror attack at Ur. It also comes a day after Pakistan suffered humiliating Indian cross-border raids (surgical strikes) on terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Background Earlier India and three other countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan in a synchronized effort, had informed the SAARC Secretariat that their leaders will not attend the summit citing concerns over cross-border terrorism in the region. Later, Sri Lanka also expressed its unwillingness to attend the Summit. The move by the five countries means the Summit cannot go ahead as the SAARC charter mandates that all decisions of the regional bloc must be made unanimously. The absence of even one member-state leads to the automatic postponement or cancellation of a Summit. About the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) SAARC is regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union in South Asia. It promotes development of economical and regional integration. As of 2015, SAARC member countries compromise of 3% of the world’s area, 21% of the world’s population and 9.12% of the global economy. Member Countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (joined in 2007). Nine observer states: Australia, China, European Union, Japan, Iran, Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, and United States. Formation History: The idea for the SAARC was proposed by Ziaur Rahman, the then President of Bangladesh on May 2, 1980. The seven founding countries had met for first time in April 1981 and then for second time in 1985 creating SAARC Charter. The first SAARC summit was held in Dhaka (Bangladesh) in December 1985. The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu (Nepal) on 16 January 1987.