Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 19 July 2024

As you are aware, in all competitive exams, the “Daily Current Affairs Section” holds significant importance in determining the cutoff scores. Therefore, if you excel in this section, you will have a better chance of achieving higher marks in these exams and securing a spot on the merit list.

Addapedia Odisha – Daily Current Affairs -19 July 2024

National and International News
Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI)	Why in the news? The Union Minister for Science & Technology recently inaugurated Asia’s first “Pre-clinical Network Facility” for health research in Faridabad. This facility is established under the Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). About CEPI: Launch and Founders: Launched in 2017. An innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations. Founded in Davos, Switzerland by: Governments of Norway and India Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Wellcome Trust World Economic Forum Mission: Accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats. Ensure accessibility to all people in need. Achievements: Supported the development of over 50 vaccine candidates or platform technologies. Targets multiple known high-risk pathogens and potential future threats like Disease X. Pandemic-Beating Plan (2022-2026): Central goal: ‘100 Days Mission.’ Aim: Compress the time to develop safe, effective, globally accessible vaccines against new threats to just 100 days. Ind-CEPI Mission: Implemented by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology. Focus: Epidemic preparedness through rapid vaccine development. Program Management: Managed through a dedicated Program Management Unit (PMU) at Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
MV Sea Change	Why in the news? The MV Sea Change, the world’s first commercial passenger ferry powered entirely by hydrogen fuel, was recently launched at the San Francisco Ferry Building. About MV Sea Change: World’s First Zero-Emission Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry: The ferry is powered entirely by zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells. Built by All American Marine Shipyard for SWITCH Maritime. Specifications and Performance: Capacity: 75 passengers. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells produce electricity for electric motors. Operational endurance: About 16 hours. Travel range: Around 300 nautical miles between refueling. Maximum speed: 20 knots. Service speed: 8-12 knots. Technology and Environmental Impact: Uses H2 fuel cells combining hydrogen from storage tanks and oxygen from the ambient air to generate electricity. Byproducts: Only heat and water vapor, no pollutants.
National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID)	Why in the news? The government aims to boost the capital base of the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) to 1 trillion with support from banks. About NaBFID: Establishment: Set up in 2021 by the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Act, 2021. Nature: Specialized Development Finance Institution in India. Objectives: Address gaps in long-term non-recourse finance for infrastructure development. Strengthen the development of bonds and derivatives markets in India. Sustainably boost the country’s economy. Regulation: Regulated and supervised by the RBI as an All-India Financial Institution (AIFI). Purpose: Provide a dedicated and specialized institution focused on addressing the long-term financing needs of the infrastructure sector in India.
Common Services Centres Special Purpose Vehicle	Why in the news? The Common Services Centres Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC SPV) recently celebrated its 15th anniversary. About Common Services Centres Special Purpose Vehicle: Initiative of MeitY: Incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956. Monitored by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Mission Mode Project: Part of the Digital India Programme. Ensures systemic viability and sustainability of the scheme. Service Delivery: Acts as front-end delivery points for government, private, and social sector services. Provides a centralized collaborative framework for service delivery through CSCs. Access Points: Delivers various electronic services to villages. Contributes to a digitally and financially inclusive society. Provides essential public utility services, social welfare schemes, healthcare, financial, education, and agriculture services. Offers a range of B2C services to rural and remote areas.
Late Blight Disease	Why in the news? The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) has issued an advisory to potato farmers nationwide, warning of a high risk of late blight disease in their crops due to changing weather conditions. About Late Blight Disease: Transmission: Spread from infected transplants, volunteer potato/tomato plants, and related weeds. Airborne spores can travel long distances in storms. Rain deposits spores on plants, leading to infection. Favored by cool, wet weather and cycles repeatedly under favorable conditions. Symptoms: Leaves, Petioles, and Stems: Lesions appear as round or irregular dark green to purplish-black areas, resembling frost injury. Whitish growth of spore-producing structures may be seen at lesion margins on under-leaf surfaces. Potato Tubers: Rot up to 15 mm (0.6 inch) deep. Secondary fungi and bacteria (particularly Erwinia species) often invade, causing significant rotting and losses during storage, transit, and marketing. Management: Timely application of fungicide is effective. Rapid epidemics can occur once crops are infected.

Odisha Specific News
Ayushman Bharat	Context: Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is set to be implemented in Odisha, six years after its nationwide launch. Key points: Odisha is currently running the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), covering 1.03 crore families through over 866 empanelled hospitals. The BSKY was introduced by the previous BJD government, which opted out of the central scheme due to disagreements over beneficiary numbers and eligibility criteria. AB-PMJAY provides health coverage of ₹5 lakh, compared to ₹10 lakh under BSKY for women beneficiaries. About: The Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme, also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), is a flagship healthcare initiative launched by the Government of India. Introduced in September 2018, the scheme aims to provide financial protection to economically vulnerable families against catastrophic health expenditures. Under Ayushman Bharat, eligible beneficiaries are entitled to receive health coverage of up to INR 5 lakhs per family per year, covering secondary and tertiary healthcare services. The scheme primarily targets poor and marginalized sections of society, providing them with access to quality healthcare services without facing financial distress. Implementing Agency : National Health Authority (NHA). Components Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
Coastal Erosion	Context: Ganjam district administration is launching a mangrove plantation project along the coast to mitigate coastal erosion and storm damage. Mangrove Plantation Project: Project: The Berhampur Forest Department is implementing mangrove plantations under the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project. Objective: Combat coastal erosion and enhance climate resilience. Progress: Initial Plantations: 15,000 mangrove saplings have been planted on six hectares in the Purunabandha and Gokharkuda areas. Technique: Canal embankments are constructed in a fishbone style to facilitate plantation. Saplings: Single-bonny saplings, which thrive in clay and sand mixed soil, have been chosen for their resilience. Additional Info: The Odisha Government has signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) for the protection of coastal areas from various natural calamities like flood, cyclone, soil erosion and high tide, etc. Odisha has a vast coastline of about 480 km and the coastal areas are exposed to natural disasters.
Aahaar scheme	Context: The ‘Aahaar’ scheme, known for providing meals at Rs 5, will continue under the current administration. Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra indicated that a review might lead to a new name for the scheme. Key points: The ‘Aahaar’ scheme, initiated by the previous BJD government in Odisha, aims to provide affordable meals to the urban poor at a subsidized rate. Launched in April 2015, the scheme operates through 168 centres across 115 urban local bodies (ULBs) in Odisha. The centres and kitchens are ISO-certified and GEO-linked, ensuring quality and traceability. The scheme provides approximately one lakh meals daily, with 61 centres offering night meals. Involvement of Women SHGs: To improve food quality, steps will be taken to involve women Self-Help Group (SHG) members in the service. This initiative aims to enhance the management and delivery of meals. Cost and Subsidy: The state government subsidizes each meal, contributing Rs 23 per meal, while beneficiaries pay only Rs 5.

All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Adda247.