Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 07 May 2021

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 07 May 2021

::NATIONAL::

Oil and Gas PSUs sign for redevelopment of Shri Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed today between the Oil and Gas PSUs-IndianOil, BPCL, HPCL, ONGC and GAIL, and ShriBadrinathUtthan Charitable Trust for Construction and Redevelopment of ShriBadrinathDham as a Spiritual Smart hill Town. The MoUs were signed in the august presence of the Chief Minister of UttarakhandShriTirath Singh Rawat, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel ShriDharmendraPradhan, Tourism Minister of UttarakhandShriSatpalMaharaj, Secretary, MoPNGShriTarunKapoor, Chief Secretary of UttarakhandShri Om Prakash, and senior officers of the MoPNG, Uttarakhand Government and Oil & Gas PSUs.
As per the MoUs, the Oil & Gas PSUs will be contributing Rs. 99.60 crore in the first phase of the developmental activities, including river embankment work, building all-terrain vehicular path, building bridges, beautifying existing bridges, establishing gurukul facilities with accommodation, creating toilet and drinking water facilities, installing streetlights, mural paintings etc.
Speaking on the occasion, ShriPradhan said that Char Dham is close to millions of Indians, due to spiritual, religious and cultural reasons. The Oil and Gas PSUs will not only contribute to the development work of the Badrinath, but are also part of the development of Kedarnath, Uttarkashi, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
He said “Today's event is a significant milestone in the direction of Hon'blePrime Minister NarendraModi's vision of developing Badrinath shrine as a mini smart and spiritual city, without compromising on the religious sanctity and mythological importance of the region."
Lauding the efforts of Oil & Gas PSUs in developing the facilities, ShriPradhan said, "I am glad that Oil and Gas PSUs of this nation have come forward to realise the vision of developing BadrinathDham into a Smart Spiritual Town.
Tourism is one of the key industries, which is playing a critical role in the development of the state. Development of the sites like Badrinath would also help in attracting more tourists, which in turn would strengthen the economy of the state."

::INTERNATIONAL::

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres honored Indian peacekeeper Yuvraj Singh

An Indian peacekeeper, who lost his life in the line of duty in 2020, was honoured on Thursday at a solemn memorial service here that paid tribute to over 300 United Nations personnel who died last year, the highest number of UN colleagues lost in a single year.
Corporal Yuvraj Singh was among the 336 UN personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty and due to the COVID-19 and related circumstances between January 1 and December 31, 2020.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres led the annual memorial service honouring the United Nations personnel.
“@UN Annual Memorial Service 2021 with UNSG @antonioguterreshonours Indian @UNPeacekeeping officer Corporal Yuvraj Singh, who died in the line of duty in 2020,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti tweeted.
“We salute his #valour& contribution, pay our heartfelt tribute & convey our deep condolences to family,” he said.
In his remarks at the memorial, Guterres said the year 2020 was like no other in the history of the United Nations, when the world faced a merciless pandemic that continues to sow tremendous suffering.
“Millions of families lost loved ones. The UN family was no different,” he said.
The memorial service recognises UN colleagues who lost their lives because of malicious acts, natural disasters and other incidents, Guterres said, adding that in view of the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic and its extraordinary impact, this year’s solemn commemoration also honours all colleagues who passed from illness in 2020.

::ECONOMY::

Center retains 12% GST on imported oxygen concentrate for personal use

People who import oxygen concentrators for personal use or as gifts would be in a position to afford paying 12% Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST), the Union government told the Delhi high court on Tuesday, opposing a petition to make such imports duty free.
The matter relates to a plea filed by an 85-year-old person with Covid-19, who opposed the 12% tax on an oxygen concentrator sent as a gift from his nephew in the US. The government defended its decision to retain the tax rate and said that “significant relief has already been provided” after duties on personal imports of oxygen concentrators was reduced from 77% to 12%.
In an affidavit filed before a bench of justices Rajiv Shakdher and Talwant Singh, the Centre has said that the parity between commercial and personal imports would ensure that the personal import route remains legitimate.
“…..with a 12% IGST rate on imports of concentrators, a parity at a lower GST rate has been attained between gift, personal imports and commercial imports of oxygen concentrators. This ensures that the common man buying it through a commercial route, from a trader, or a person who could personally import, either on paying from pocket or receiving as gift, all bear the same incidence of IGST at a lower rate of 12%.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

Global warming will reach 2.4 degree Celsius by 2100

Special Report in 2018 on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways’ contained in the Decision of the 21st Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to adopt the Paris Agreement.
The IPCC accepted the invitation in April 2016, deciding to prepare this Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.
This Summary for Policymakers (SPM) presents the key findings of the Special Report, based on the assessment of the available scientific, technical and socio-economic literature relevant to global warming of 1.5°C and for the comparison between global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
The level of confidence associated with each key finding is reported using the IPCC calibrated language. The underlying scientific basis of each key finding is indicated by references provided to chapter elements. In the SPM, knowledge gaps are identified associated with the underlying chapters of the Report.