DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 23 SEPT. 2020

 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 23 SEPT. 2020

1)      Cabinet Approved hike in MSP for RMS 2021-22

·        On the lines of the recommendations of Swaminathan Commission, on September 21, 2020, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved an increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated Rabi crops for marketing season 2021-22.

·        The decision regarding the increase in MSPs for Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2021-22 is taken with the principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of Production under “Pradhan Mantri AnnadataAaySanraksHan Abhiyan” (PM-AASHA) as announced in Union Budget 2018-19.

·        These crops need relatively cool climate during the period of growth but warm climate during the germination of their seed and maturation.Wheat, Barley, Gram, Linseed, Mustard, Masur, Peas, and Potatoes

2)      Operationalise Kishtwar Airstrip

·        On September 20, 2020, the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Army for the development and operationalization of Airstrip in Kishtwar.
The MoU was signed by Brigadier Vikram Bhan, Commander, 9 Sector Rashtriya  Rifles and S. Katoch, Commissioner Civil Aviation signed the MoU in the presence of LG, Manoj Sinha and Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (MoS), Prime Minister Office (PMO) through video conferencing at Raj Bhava

3)      SEBI constitutes Technical Group on Social Stock Exchange

·        Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) constituted the Technical Group under the Chairmanship of Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, former Chairman of NABARD. The group will develop a framework for onboarding non-profit organisations and for-profit enterprises. 
It will also develop a framework for prescribing disclosure requirements relating to performance and aspects related to social audit and social impact. 

4)      Book- “Voices of Dissent”

·        The New book titled “Voices of Dissent” authored by Historian Romila Thapar will be jointly published by Penguin Random House India and Seagull Books. The book is set to publish in October 2020.
In this book the Romila Thapar speaks about the emergence of various groups like the Jains, Buddhists and Ajivikas who were collectively known as Shramanas and 1st millennium BC.
She explores the ideas of the few Bhakti saints of the 15th and 16th centuries and portrays the major moments of dissents (satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi) that resulted in establishing a free and democratic India.
She highlights the use of idioms of religion as reflecting social change which resulted in the current politicization of religion.

5)      World Rhino Day – September 22 2020

·        The World Rhino Day is celebrated Internationally on September 22, 2020. World Rhino Day is celebrated annually on September 22 by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and other international organizations.
Theme for World Rhino Day is “Five Rhino Species Forever”.

 

6)      1st state with Policies on Ethical AI, Blockchain and Cybersecurity

·        Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM) Edappadi K Palaniswami released Tamil Nadu Cyber Security Policy 2020, Tamil Nadu Blockchain Policy 2020 and Tamil Nadu Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020(Nicknamed as ABC Policies) while participating in the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) ‘Connect 2020’ event through video conference. 
It became the first state in the country to release policies on Ethical AI, Blockchain and Cybersecurity.