MPSC Current Affairs 22 August 2024, Maharashtra Current Affairs

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International

UAE joins BRICS partners for launch of Centre for Industrial Competences

• In collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) partners have established a Center for Industrial Competences to facilitate the advancement of industrial skills and capabilities.

• Convened under the topic 'Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security' in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, the statement was given at the 8th BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting.
• Brazil will host the 9th BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting in 2025.
• By addressing problems and possibilities in the expanding industrial sector, the new center will support the New Industrial Revolution (NIR) framework and aid in developing industrial skills among its member nations.
• The proclamation provides guidelines for the formation of working groups in sectors including clean technology, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), metals, chemicals, and smart manufacturing.
• The BRICS members pledged to work together on industrial policy to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN), particularly SDG 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure.
• The Partnership on New Industrial Revolution, or PartNIR, is acknowledged in the proclamation.
• The Innovation Center's function is project development, employee training, and policy coordination.

• Capital :- Abu Dhabi
• President:- Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Prime Minister:- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

National

Manohar Lal Khattar Launches Three Online Platforms to Boost Power Sector Efficiency & Transparency

• The Union Ministry of Power has introduced three new online platforms, JAL VIDYUT DPR, DRIPS, and PROMPT, to increase the efficacy, efficiency, and transparency of the nation's power industry.
• On August 20, 2024, Manohar Lal Khattar, the Union Minister of Power, introduced these three new web portals in New Delhi.

• Under the Union Ministry of Power, the Central Electricity Authority created each of these web portals. The Central Electricity Authority developed the PROMPT platform with assistance from NTPC.

• Real-time analysis and online tracking of thermal power plants under construction in India would be made easier by the PROMPT (Portal for Online Monitoring of Plants—Thermal).
• It is anticipated that doing this will enable the problem causing delays in the construction of thermal power plants to be promptly identified and fixed.

• The real-time building status of hydroelectric pumped storage projects around the nation will be made available via the JAL VIDYUT DPR (Monitoring Survey and Investigation Activities of Hydroelectric Projects and Pumped Storage Projects).
• Better management and coordination for the pumped hydropower plant building will result from this.

• The Disaster Resource Inventory for Power Sector (DRIPS) web service was developed to promptly detect power outages caused by various natural calamities, such as earthquakes, flooding, and cyclones, around the nation.
• It will establish a connection between the selected nodal officials of the power sector departments and other agencies in the impacted districts and states, enabling prompt action to restore power to the affected areas.

• Chairman:- Ghanshyam Prasad
• Headquarters:- New Delhi

State

Himachal Pradesh CM launches scheme to provide nutritious food in schools

• The Mukhyamantri Bal Paushtik Aahar Yojana (MBPAY) was introduced on August 18, 2024, by Chief Minister (CM) of Himachal Pradesh (HP), Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, to feed students in government-run schools wholesome meals.
• The program was introduced at a gathering at Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh (HP).

• For the current fiscal year (FY25), the state government has allotted an additional Rs 12.75 crore for the program.
• The noon meal program benefits 5.34 lakh school students by providing them with nutrition.
• Schoolchildren will receive fruits or boiled eggs once a week as part of the program.
• Depending on the preferences of the children, fruits will be purchased from nearby markets.
• In addition, the CM announced that 17,510 primary school teachers would get tablets as part of the government's initiative to encourage the digitization of administrative and educational procedures. About Himachal Pradesh(HP):-
• Chief Minister(CM) :- Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
• Governor :- Shiv Pratap Shukla

Economic

NPCI launches 'UPI Circle' for secure delegated payments with trusted users

• A new feature called "UPI Circle" has been introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform. With the help of this new capability, primary UPI account holders will be able to safely assign payment obligations to reliable secondary users.
• The feature was unveiled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at the August 2024 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.
• The goal of this is to improve digital transaction security and ease throughout India.

• Only one primary user may delegate to a secondary user, and a primary user may only delegate to a maximum of five secondary users.
• Members must make sure that, in the case of either full or partial delegation, the primary user has granted permission to the secondary user.
• Members must guarantee a maximum monthly limit of Rs 15,000 per delegation and a maximum transaction limit of Rs 5,000 to enable complete delegation.
• In the event of partial delegation, the current UPI restrictions will remain in effect.
• Members are required by NPCI to make sure that the principal user may see transactions made by secondary users on their bank account statement and the UPI application (app).

• With the help of this delegated payment function, a primary UPI user can establish a connection with reliable secondary users by giving them full or partial access to their account so they can make payments.
• The primary user account holder initiates the delegation process and maintains control over it.
• An auxiliary user is a reliable person who has been given full or partial access to the account to make payments.

• Complete Delegation: The principal user gives the secondary user permission to initiate and finish transactions up to predetermined expenditure limitations without needing to get further permission.
• Partial Delegation: The secondary user can initiate transactions, but in order to complete the payment using their UPI Personal Identification Number (PIN), they must first authenticate with the primary user.

Appointment

Sanjiv Ranjan was appointed Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Rim Association

• Under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) proposal to allow Sanjiv Ranjan to accept the position of Secretary General (SG) of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Secretariat in Mauritius for a three-year term beginning on January 1, 2025.
• This covers the time frame from his superannuation on January 31, 2026, until any further orders, whichever comes first.
• He will succeed the current SG of the IORA Secretariat, Salman Al Farisi (Indonesia), who assumed office in January 2022 and served a three-year term ending in 2024.

• Sanjiv Ranjan is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, having joined in 1993.
• He served as a diplomat for Indian embassies in Lima, Peru, and Madrid, Spain, as well as at the Permanent Mission of India in New York, USA, from 1995 to 2009.
• From 2006 to 2009, he was India's Deputy High Commissioner to Mauritius. iv. From 2009 to 2012, he worked as the MEA's Director (North) and, concurrently, as Joint Secretary of the recently formed Development Partnership Administration (DPA), a MEA initiative.
• In 2015, he coordinated the Third India-Africa Forum Summit, which took place in New Delhi, Delhi.
• From 2016 to 2019, he was the Indian ambassador to Argentina and concurrently accredited to Uruguay and Paraguay.
• From 2019 until 2022, he also held the position of Indian Ambassador to Ecuador, as well as a concurrent accreditation to Colombia.
• Since 2022, he has held the positions of Dean and Additional Secretary (Administration) at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS).
• The Government of India (GoI) founded SSIFS in 1986 to meet the professional training requirements of the MEA, New Delhi, Delhi, and the IFS.

• Establishment:- 7 March 1997
• Headquarters:- Cyber City, Ebène, Mauritius
• Secretary-General:- Salman Al Farisi

Science & Technology

Bayanat and Yahsat Launch UAE’s First SAR Satellite as Part of Ambitious Earth Observation Space Program in Collaboration with ICEYE

• In collaboration with ICEYE Ltd., Bayanat AI PLC and Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (Yahsat) launched the country's first Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite on August 16, 2024.
• The satellite, which belongs to Bayanat, was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA, using integrator Exolaunch on SpaceX's Transporter 11.
• This accomplishment is in line with the National Space Strategy 2030 of the UAE.

• The launch is a significant step in improving UAE's capacity for Earth observation.
• The UAE's Earth Observation Space Program includes this SAR satellite, which will allow for ongoing, high-resolution monitoring with the capacity to take pictures day or night, weather permitting.
• With greater resolution and wider geographic coverage, ICEYE's SAR technology provides better value.
• In order to provide near real-time geospatial insights for emergency management, marine surveillance, and smart mobility, the constellation will often return to the Middle East.
• Using the upstream and midstream capabilities of Yahsat in conjunction with the downstream capabilities of Bayanat, the SAR satellite constellation will deliver continuous data for a range of applications.
• The most recent accomplishment of the ongoing partnership between ICEYE, Yahsat, and Bayanat is this launch.
• The Earth Observation Space Program was established in 2023 to develop a constellation of SAR satellites to enhance national satellite remote sensing and Earth observation capabilities inside the United Arab Emirates.

• Capital :- Abu Dhabi
• Currency :- UAE Dirham
• President:- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Sport

International Cricket Council shifts 9th Women’s T20 World Cup to UAE from Bangladesh

• Because of the political unrest in Bangladesh, the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to move the 9th ICC Women's T20 Cricket World Cup from Bangladesh to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• The tournament will still be held in Bangladesh, but all of the matches will take place in the United Arab Emirates.
• On August 4, 2024, Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh, resigned and fled to India. Bangladesh has established a provisional administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as its main advisor.
• Acts of violence persist in Bangladesh despite the establishment of an interim administration, and numerous foreign governments, including those of India, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, have issued travel advisories cautioning citizens against visiting the country.

• The calendar and the tournament schedule won't alter, according to the ICC. Matches will take place by the previously scheduled schedule, and they will take place from October 3 to October 20.
• The United Arab Emirates' Dubai and Sharjah will host a total of 23 matches.

• Ten teams are competing in the 9th ICC Women's World Cup, split into two groups. The Indian team will be coached by Harmanpreet Kaur.
• Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka make up Group A.
• Group B: England, Scotland, Bangladesh, South Africa, and the West Indies

• Headquarters:- Dubai, UAE
• Chairperson:- Greg Barclay

Book

Bihar Governor Launches Book on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

• 'Gandhian Statesman of Bihar: Nitish Kumar', a book about Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar, was released on August 19, 2024, in Patna, Bihar by Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. New Delhi (Delhi)-based Prabhat Prakashan is the publisher of the book.
• Together with his daughter Shambhavi Choudhary, a member of the Lok Sabha from Samastipur, Bihar, and Ashok Choudary, Minister of Rural Works Department, Government of Bihar, co-wrote this book.
• The purpose of this book is to educate the next generation about the works of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and to showcase his contributions to the state's growth.

Obituary

Former Army Chief General S. Padmanabhan passes away in Chennai

• Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Sundararajan Padmanabhan passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN), at the age of 83. He was born in Trivandrum, Kerala, on December 5, 1940.
• In 2000, he became the COAS, a position he held until his retirement in December 2002.

• On December 13, 1959, he received his diploma from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) and was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery.
• From 1975 to 1976, he oversaw an Independent Light Battery, and from 1977 to 1980, he led the Gazala Mountain Regiment.
• From 1983 to 1985, he was the Colonel General Staff of a Mountain Division. He then went on to lead a Mountain Brigade and an Independent Artillery Brigade.
• After receiving a promotion to lieutenant general, he led the 15 Corps in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) from 1993 to 1995.
• In Udhampur, J&K, he also held the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Northern Command.

Important Day

World Senior Citizen's Day – 21 August

• Every year on August 21, the world observes World Older Citizen's Day to honor and recognize the achievements older citizens have made to society as well as to raise awareness of the issues they confront, including healthcare, elder abuse, social isolation, and other issues.
• The day serves as a reminder to communities and families to value and care for their senior citizens, making sure they are treated with respect and decency.
• People who have retired from their occupations or who are 60 years of age or older are considered senior citizens.

• The 40th President of the United States of America (USA), Ronald Reagan, issued Proclamation 5847 on August 19, 1988, proclaiming August 21 to be "National Senior Citizens Day."
• On August 21, the Proclamation of 5847 was first observed as the National Day of the Third Age.

• The Technical Group on Population Projections Report (July 2020) projects that India's senior population will soar from 103.8 million in 2011 to 193.4 million by 2031.
• 8.6% of the overall population at that time, underscoring the necessity of providing older persons with targeted healthcare, financial security, and social integration.