Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 31 October 2020

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 31 October 2020

::NATIONAL::

CPCB flags pollution control at railway stations

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has “insisted” that the Ministry of Railways devise a modern environmental management plan to control air, water and noise pollution at major railway stations.
According to sources in the railways, the CPCB had called for the formation of a joint committee comprising Railway and State government/local body officials to ensure basic civic amenities and improve environment conditions at Class-I stations. The move follows a high-level meeting convened by the CPCB involving top officials of the Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Housing & Urban Development.
The Railways in turn requested the CPCB to assign due weightage to different components/parameters in the template for environment performance based on rating of railway stations that are currently under review by the CPCB.
A separate template on environment assessment and management would be prepared for all metro stations, the sources said.

PM to launch seaplane service from statue of unity in Gujarat

Prime Minister NarendraModi will launch the seaplane service connecting Statue of Unity in Kevadia with Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad today. Mr Modi yesterday inaugurated a cruise service near the Statue of Unity.
The 40-minute cruise will cover six kilometres. The prime minister also inaugurated EktaMall, an emporium spread over 35,000 square feet, where handicrafts from all over the country will be up for sale.
A Nutrition Park and a Safari Park are among the several other attractions that he threw open yesterday. The Safari Park is spread over 375 acre and has 1100 species of birds from India and abroad and about 100 animals.
The Prime Minister arrived in Ahmedabad yesterday morning. Immediately thereafter, he headed towards Keshubhai Patel’s residence in Gandhinagar to pay tribute to the leader, who passed away on Thursday. Mr Modi also paid tribute to singer-actor duo Mahesh-NareshKanodiya in Gandhinagar and met their family members.

::ECONOMY::

NITI claims India no more a closed economy, import barriers not perpetual

Any tariff protection to promote local manufacturing in India will come with an in-built sunset clause, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Friday, asserting that the country’s self-reliance mission must not be equated to it becoming a ‘protectionist’ and closed economy.
The government is set to extend the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing pharmaceuticals, medical devices and electronics announced under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat package to six more sectors, he said.
Explaining the rationale for the PLI schemes that, he said, will soon become valid for ‘nine to 10’ sectors from four at present, Mr. Kumar said this is meant to incentivise investors already in the country to put up globally comparable capacities in scale and competitiveness.
Mr. Kumar also called for a more empathetic and humane approach to assess economic growth beyond GDP numbers and flagged concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the onset of technologies like robotics, machine learning and artificial intelligence on job creation.

Ministry of Shipping brings in draft coastal shipping bill 2020

Ministry of Shipping has issued the draft of Coastal Shipping Bill, 2020 for suggestions from stakeholders and general public. A need was felt to have a separate legislation on coastal shipping as the shipping sector grows and evolves in the country.
The global best practices have also been considered while drafting this Bill. The definition of coastal shipping and coastal waters has been expanded in the Bill.It is proposed to do away with the requirement of trading licence for Indian flag vessels for coastal trade.
The Bill seeks to create a competitive environment and reduce transportation costs, while encouraging Indian vessels to increase their share in coastal shipping.

::INTERNATIONAL::

206TH session of IPU general council to be held next month

The 206th Session of the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU will be held from 1st to 4th November this year. It will be an Extraordinary Virtual Session, which is being organised in place of a full-fledged in-person Statutory Assembly of IPU due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
The agenda of the Virtual Session includes the election of the new President of IPU through remote electronic secret ballot since the outgoing President of IPU Ms. Gabriela Cuevas Barron (MP, Mexico) had completed her term on 19th of this month.
An Indian Parliamentary Delegation led by LokSabha Speaker Om Birla and consisting of LokSabha MP PoonambenMaadam and RajyaSabha MP SwapanDasgupta will participate in the above mentioned Virtual Session and will cast their votes.
There are four candidates in the fray for the election of IPU President. They are Duarte Pacheco from Portugal, Muhammad Sanjrani from Pakistan, AkmalSaidov from Uzbekistan and Salma Ataullahjan from Canada.

::SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY::

NewZealand votes for legalising Euthanasia

New Zealanders have voted in favor of illegalizing the euthanasia for people with a terminal illness. The decision was taken in the aftermath of campaigners who were saying that people who are suffering extreme pain should be given a choice of how and when they want to bring their life to an end.
The decision of legalizing the euthanasia appeared as a referendum question alongside a second referendum question of legalizing cannabis on October 17, 2020 general election ballot paper. The referendum question of legalizing cannabis did not succeed.
Euthanasia is the practice of ending a life to relieve pain and suffering intentionally. Different countries defines euthanasia differently. In Britain, euthanasia is defined as an intervention undertaken with the intention of ending life, to relieve intractable suffering”.
While in Netherlands and Belgium, euthanasia is described as “termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient”. In Dutch law ‘euthanasia’ term is not included but there is a concept called “assisted suicide and termination of life on request”.
Passive euthanasia is legal in India under strict guidelines since March 2018. In India, Patients’ consent is required through a living will. The patient must be either terminally ill or in a vegetative state.
The supreme court of India legalized the passive euthanasia on 9 March 2018 as a part of the verdict in light of ArunaShanbaug who had been in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) until her death in 2015.

::SPORTS::

Pakistan wins ODI against Zimbabwe

ShaheenAfridi grabbed five for 49 and WahabRiaz took four for 41 as Pakistan survived Brendan Taylor’s 112 (117b, 11x4, 3x6) to thwart a fighting Zimbabwe by 26 runs and win the first One-Day International here on Friday.
Earlier, HarisSohail (71) and Imam-ul-Haq (58) helped the host post 281 for eight against some tight Zimbabwe bowling.