CURRENT AFFAIRS 17 NOVEMBER 2019

CURRENT AFFAIRS 

17 NOVEMBER 2019

1.Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)(gs-2,3)

• Context:Delhi has the most unsafe tap water
• Only Mumbai meets BIS standards.
• If it wasn’t enough that Delhi air is among the world’s most polluted, a new study has now shown that the city’s tap water is the most unsafe among 21 State capitals.
• The national capital is at the very bottom of the list, in a ranking based on tap water quality released by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on Tuesday. 
• It is among 13 cities, including Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Jaipur and Lucknow, where all tested samples failed to meet the BIS norms for piped drinking water. In fact, Mumbai is the only city where all samples of tap water met all the tested parameters under the Indian Standard 10500:2012 (specification for drinking water) so far.

• Under its flagship Jal Jeevan Mission, the Centre aims to provide safe piped water to all households by 2024, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising to spend over rs 3.5 lakh crore on the scheme in his last Independence Day speech. 
• However, the study, conducted by the BIS for the Union Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry, showed that even in urban areas, which are connected to the piped water network, there is no guarantee that the water is safe for consumption. While it is mandatory for bottled water manufacturers to meet quality standards, the BIS standard is voluntary for the public agencies which supply and distribute piped water.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS):

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986.The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS.
• The organisation was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), set up under the Resolution of the Department of Industries and Supplies No. 1 Std.(4)/45, dated 3 September 1946. The ISI was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• A new Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) Act 2016 which was notified on 22nd March, 2016, has been brought into force with effect from 12th October, 2017. The Act establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.
• As a corporate body, it has 25 members drawn from Central or State Governments, industry, scientific and research institutions, and consumer organisations. Its headquarters are in New Delhi, with regional offices in Eastern Region at Kolkata, southern Region at Chennai,Western Region at Mumbai,Northern Region at Chandigarh and Central Region at Delhi and 20 branch offices. It also works as WTO-TBT enquiry point for India

2.Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program(RNTCP)

(gs-2)

• Context: Kerala on track to eliminate TB by 2025
• The sixth Joint Monitoring Mission (JMM 2019) of the Union government and the World Health Organization on the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has lauded Kerala for being right on track to achieve TB elimination by 2025.
• However, the last mile is the toughest and as Kerala moves on to TB elimination, the State will now have to focus better on strengthening its diagnostic services and the training component so that every case in the community is picked up.
• Hence more molecular diagnostic services (CBNAAT /Genexpert machines) are needed, the JMM team, which met the Health Minister and the Principal Secretary here on Saturday, suggests.

Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program(RNTCP):

• Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program ('RNTCP) is the state-run tuberculosis (TB) control initiative of the Government of India. As per the National Strategic Plan 2012–17, the program has a vision of achieving a "TB free India", and aims to achieve Universal Access to TB control services.The program provides, various free of cost, quality tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment services across the country through the government health system. It seeks to employ the WHO recommended tuberculosis control strategy, DOTS(Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course), to the Indian scenario

3.Wastelands Atlas 2019(gs-3)

• Context:‘Wasteland conversion threatens livelihoods, ecological balance’
• India’s conversion of more than 14,000 square km of ‘wasteland’ — mostly dense scrub, glacial areas, sands or marshland — into productive use between 2008-09 and 2015-16, and the government’s target to restore 26 million hectares of wasteland and degraded land by 2030 risks affecting the livelihoods of pastoralists, fishermen and nomadic farmers who are often dependent on these traditional “commons” lands, caution environmental policy researchers and social activists.
• These ‘commons’ also act as a buffer against floods, droughts and pollution for a wider population, they point out.
• The Wastelands Atlas, prepared in collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Centre and released recently by the Land Resources Department uses satellite data to measure the extent of 23 different types of wastelands and tracks the impact of reclamation efforts. While 14,536 sq. km of wasteland were converted to productive use, the country saw a net conversion of 8,404 sq. km. Over half that land lies in Rajasthan, where a net change of 4,803 sq. km was seen, with large areas of scrub and sands brought under the plough and converted to cultivated cropland. The State also has extensive solar parks set up in its wastelands, thus converting them to industrial use in the production of renewable energy. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar also saw high levels of net conversion

Wastelands Atlas 2019:

• Realizing the importance of availability of reliable database on the wastelands of the country, the Ministry of Rural Development has released the Wastelands Atlas – 2019.
• The new wastelands mapping exercise, carried out by NRSC using the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data is brought out as the fifth edition of Wastelands Atlas – 2019.
• his Wastelands Atlas-2019 provides district and state wise distribution of different categories of wastelands area including mapping of about 12.08 Mha hitherto unmapped area of Jammu & Kashmir. 
• The changes in wastelands between 2008-09 and 2015-16 have been presented in the Atlas. The effort has resulted in estimating the spatial extent of wastelands for entire country to the tune of 55.76 Mha (16.96 % of geographical area of the Country i.e. 328.72 Mha) for the year 2015-16 as compared to 56.60 Mha (17.21%) in the year 2008-09. During this period 1.45 Mha of wastelands are converted into non wastelands categories. 
• There is a net conversion of 0.84 Mha (0.26%) of different wasteland categories in the country during 2008-09 to 2015-16. A reduction in wasteland area was observed in the categories of land with dense scrub, waterlogged and marshy land, sandy areas, degraded pastures / grazing land and gullied and / or ravinous land.
• The wastelands have undergone positive change in the states of Rajasthan (0.48 Mha), Bihar (0.11 Mha), Uttar Pradesh (0.10 Mha), Andhra Pradesh (0.08 Mha), Mizoram (0.057 Mha), Madhya Pradesh (0.039 Mha), Jammu & Kashmir (0.038 Mha) and West Bengal (0.032 Mha). Majority of wastelands have been changed into categories of ‘croplands’ (0.64 Mha), ‘forest-dense / open’ (0.28 Mha), ‘forest plantation’ (0.029 Mha), ‘plantation’ (0.057 Mha) and ‘industrial area’ (0.035 Mha) etc.

4.Neo-Assyrian Empire(gs-1,3)

• Context:Collapse of ancient civilisation linked to mega drought
•  The Neo Assyrian Empire — that thrived between 800 and 600 BCE centred in northern Iraq, extending to Egypt — may have collapsed due to a 60­year, climate related megadrought, according to a study. The researchers, including Indian­origin scientist Ashish Sinha at California State University in the U.S., said the Neo Assyrian Empire was by far the largest empire in the region up to that time, controlling much of the territory from the Persian Gulf to modern day Cyprus. The study, published in Science Advances, noted that climate­related factors contributed to political instability, civil wars, and invasion by outside armies, that ultimately led to the civilisation’s collapse. The researchers said the Neo­Assyrian Empire experienced a series of megadroughts that probably triggered its collapse by weakening agriculture and amplifying conflict

Neo-Assyrian Empire:

• The Neo-Assyrian Empire was an Iron Age Mesopotamian empire, in existence between 911 and 609 BC,and became the largest empire of the world up until that time. The Assyrians perfected early techniques of imperial rule, many of which became standard in later empires,and was, according to many historians, the first real empire in history.The Assyrians were the first to be armed with iron weapons, and their troops employed advanced, effective military tactics.
• Following the conquests of Adad-nirari II in the late 10th century BC, Assyria emerged as the most powerful state in the world at the time, coming to dominate the Ancient Near East, East Mediterranean, Asia Minor, Caucasus, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa, eclipsing and conquering rivals such as Babylonia, Elam, Persia, Urartu, Lydia, the Medes, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Israel, Judah, Phoenicia, Chaldea, Canaan, the Kushite Empire, the Arabs, and Egypt.
• The Neo-Assyrian Empire succeeded the Old Assyrian Empire (c. 2025–1378 BC), and the Middle Assyrian Empire (1365–934 BC) of the Late Bronze Age. During this period, Aramaic was also made an official language of the empire, alongside Akkadian.
• Upon the death of Ashurbanipal in 627 BC, the empire began to disintegrate due to a brutal and unremitting series of civil wars in Assyria proper. In 616 BC, Cyaxares king of the Medes and Persians made alliances with Nabopolassar ruler of the Babylonians and Chaldeans, and also the Scythians and Cimmerians against Assyria. At the Fall of Harran (609 BC) the Babylonians and Medes defeated an Assyrian-Egyptian alliance, after which Assyria largely ceased to exist as an independent state. A failed attempt to reconquer Harran ended the Assyrian Empire.Although the empire fell, Assyrian history continued; there are still Assyrians living in Iran, Iraq, and elsewhere, in the present day.

5.Agni-II missile(gs-3)

• Context:India successfully carries out night-time test firing of Agni-II missile
• India today successfully conducted the first night trial of 'Agni-II', its versatile surface-to-surface medium-range nuclear-capable missile from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
• Defence sources said that the missile has a strike range of 2000 km. They said the test was aimed at re-establishing the operational effectiveness of the weapon system.
• The successful launch once again proved the reliability of the medium range surface to surface missile.  
• 'Agni-II', an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) has already been inducted into the armed forces.\
• A defence official said this was the first time that the sophisticated missile was test-fired at night.
• The surface-to-surface missile can carry a nuclear payload of one thousand kilograms. The range of the 21-metre long missile weighing 17 tonnes can also be increased to three thousand kilometres by reducing the payload.

Agni-II missile:

• Agni-II (IAST: Agnī "Fire" also the Vedic fire god in Hinduism), is the second strategic ballistic missile of Agni (missile) family envisaged to be the mainstay of the Indian missile-based strategic nuclear deterrence. The Agni-II is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) with two solid fuel stages and a Post Boost Vehicle (PBV) integrated into the missile's Re-entry Vehicle (RV). The Agni's manoeuvring RV is made of a carbon-carbon composite material that is light and able to sustain high thermal stresses of re-entry, in a variety of trajectories. The Agni-IIA is a more advanced version of Agni-II, albeit with more sophisticated and lighter materials, yielding a better range and operating regime. Agni-IIA was later renamed as Agni-IV plugging the gap between Agni-II and Agni-III. While the first test of Agni-IV in December 2010 was a failure, the second test flight in November 2011 was a success Agni-II, developed as part of medium- and long-range Agni series of missile systems, has already been inducted into the Armed Forces.

Agni missile range comparison.

• On 17 May 2010, the trial was conducted with a special strategic command force (SSC) of nuclear-capable Agni-II ballistic missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometres from the Wheelers Island off Orissa coast thus making Agni-II missile operational by army.US Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center estimating that as of June 2017 less than 10 launchers were operationally deployed,[13] operated by the 335 Missile Group at Secunderabad using 12 TEL vehicles.
• Agni-II can reach all of Pakistan and most parts of south and southeastern China

6.Swachh Bharat Mission(gs-2)

• Context:Swachh Bharat Mission led to significant decline in deaths due to Malaria, Diarrhoea: Govt
• Union Minister of Health Dr. Harsh Vardhan today inaugurated the sixth National Summit on 'Good and Replicable Practice and Innovations in Public Healthcare System in India’ at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The 3 days summit was organized under the aegis of the Union Health and Family Welfare ministry.
• Speaking on this occasion, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that the aim of the Modi Government is Health for all and the government needs cooperation from all to achieve it.

The minister said, over 10 crore toilets have been built since the launching of Swachcha Bharat Mission.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan :

• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is one of the most popular and significant missions in the History of India. This campaign was introduced by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and was launched on 2nd October 2014 to honor Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of a Clean country.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Objective
• The major objective of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is to spread the awareness of cleanliness and the importance of it.
• The concept of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is to provide the basic sanitation facilities like toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, village cleanliness and safe and adequate drinking water supply to each and every person.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Action Plan

• The action plan for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is to be laid by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The vision is to triple the facility of sanitation by 2019. The major change to be implemented is in the Making of an Open Defecation Free(ODF) India.

Action Plan Highlights:

• Improve the growth percentage of toilets from 3% to 10% by 2019
• Increase in the construction of toilets from 14000 to 48000 daily
• Launch of a National Level/State Level Media campaign through audio visual, mobile telephony and local programmes to communicate the message of awareness.
• Involvement of school children in the activities for spreading awareness on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)

• Coming to Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), it is under the Ministry of Urban Development and is commissioned to give sanitation and household toilet facilities in all 4041 statutory towns with a combined population of 377 million.
• The estimated cost is Rs 62,009 crore over five years with the centre’s share of assistance being Rs 14,623 crore.
• The Mission hopes to cover 1.04 crore households, give 2.5 lakh community toilet seats, 2.6 lakh public toilet seats
• It also purposes to establish solid waste management facilities in every town.

At the core of this mission lie six components:

• Individual household toilets;
• Community toilets;
• Public toilets;
• Municipal Solid Waste Management;
• Information and Educating Communication (IEC) and Public Awareness;
• Capacity Building
• The Urban Clean India mission seeks to eradicate open defecation; convert insanitary toilets to flush toilets; eradicate manual scavenging, and facilitate solid waste management.
• The mission emphasizes on ushering in a behavioral change among people, with respect to healthy sanitation practices, by educating them about the damaging effects of open defecation, the environmental dangers spreading from strewn garbage, and so on.
• To achieve these objectives, urban local bodies are being brought in and fortified to design, implement and operate systems in order to promote a facilitating environment for the participation of the private sector in terms of both capital and operations expenditure.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural)

• The Rural mission, known as Swachh Bharat Gramin, aims to make Village Panchayats open defecation free by October 2, 2019.
• Removing obstacles and addressing critical issues that affect results is the new thrust of this rural sanitation mission, which aims to provide all rural households with individual latrines; and build cluster and community toilets on public-private partnership mode.
• Considering the filth and unhygienic conditions in village schools, this programme lays special emphasis on toilets in schools with basic sanitation amenities.
• Construction of Anganwadi toilets and management of solid and liquid waste in all Village Panchayats is the object of the Clean India mission

7.One Nation, One Pay Day’ (gs-2)

• context:Govt planning to introduce ‘One Nation, One Pay Day’ system: Labour Minister
• Government is planning to introduce ‘One Nation, One Pay Day’ system to safeguard the interest of workers in the formal sector.
• At the ‘Security Leadership Summit 2019′ on Friday Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said the govt is keen on this legislation to get passed soon.
• The pan India single wage day every month across various sectors will ensure that workers get timely payment of salaries.
• The government is also looking at uniform minimum wages across sectors to safeguard the better livelihood of workers
• There should be a pan-India single wage day every month across various sectors to ensure that workers get timely payment of salaries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen on this legislation to get passed soon. Similarly, we are also looking at uniform minimum wages across sectors which will safeguard better livelihood of workers," said Gangwar addressing at ‘Security Leadership Summit 2019' organised by the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI).
• The central government is in the process of implementing Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, and Code on Wages. Parliament has already passed the Code on Wages and rules are being framed for its implementation.
• The OSH Code was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 23, 2019. The Code will streamline the private sector by enhancing the coverage of workers manifold by merging 13 central labour laws relating to safety, health and working conditions into a single code.