Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 26 June 2024 | Download PDF

• India is hosting the 64th ISO Council Meeting from 25th-27th June 2024.

About ISO:

• Organization: International Sugar Organization (ISO)
• Establishment: Founded in 1968; affiliated with the United Nations.
• Membership: Comprises approximately 85 countries, representing nearly 90% of global sugar production.
• Mandate:
  • Foster collaboration among major sugar producing, consuming, and trading nations.
  • Address issues relevant to the sugar sector through a progressive approach.
  • Biofuels Focus: Engages in work related to biofuels, particularly ethanol, with sugarcane as a significant feedstock.
• Key Functions:
  • Administer the 1992 International Sugar Agreement (ISA).
  • Enhance international cooperation on sugar-related matters.
  • Serve as a forum for intergovernmental consultations on sugar and strategies to enhance the global sugar economy.
  • Collect and distribute information on the global sugar market and other sweeteners to facilitate trade.
  • Promote increased demand for sugar, including for non-traditional uses.
• Headquarters: Located in London.

• On June 24th, 2024, Bhartruhari Mahtab, was appointed as the ‘Speaker pro tem’ of the 18th Lok Sabha, a temporary position. 
• The election for a permanent Speaker is scheduled for June 26th, as determined by the President.

About Speaker of Lok Sabha:

• Role Definition: 
  • The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is responsible for conducting the proceedings of the house in an impartial manner. 
  • The Speaker’s role is crucial for maintaining order and facilitating legislative discussions.
• Election Procedure: 
  • As per the Article 93 of the Constitution, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected on simple majority. 
  • It means that a candidate who receives more than half the votes from the members present in the House will be elected as the Speaker.
• Eligibility: 
  • Any member of the Lok Sabha can be nominated for the role of the Speaker. 
  • Typically, the ruling party or coalition nominates a candidate for this position.
• Term of Office: 
  • The Speaker holds office from the date of their election until the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, unless they resign or are removed earlier.
• Removal: 
  • The Speaker can be removed from office by a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha. 
  • Such a resolution requires a 14-day prior notice.

• India’s external debt rises $39.7 bn YoY to $663.8 bn.

Key points:

• Increase in Debt:
  • Valuation effect due to the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against major currencies contributed to this increase.
• Composition:
  • Long-term debt: $505.5 billion, up by $9.6 billion from end-March 2023.
  • Short-term debt: 19.6% of total external debt, down from 20.6% at end-March 2023.
  • U.S. dollar-denominated debt: Remains the largest component at 54.4%.
  • Other components include debt denominated in Indian rupee, SDR, yen, and euro
• India’s external debt remains a significant economic indicator, reflecting the country’s financial obligations and international economic relations.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has updated its priority sector lending guidelines, motivating banks to offer smaller loans in economically disadvantaged districts where the average loan size is typically low.

About PSL:

• Objective: Priority Sector Lending mandates banks to allocate a minimum portion of their loans to sectors deemed crucial for development and those that typically struggle to access financing.
• Administration: Administered by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which regularly updates eligible sectors and lending limits.
• Eligible Sectors:
  • Agriculture
  • Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
  • Export Credit
  • Education
  • Housing
  • Social Infrastructure
  • Renewable Energy
  • Other prioritized sectors
• Lending Targets:
  • Domestic Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) and Foreign Banks (with ≥20 branches): 40% of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure (CEOBE), whichever is higher.
  • Foreign Banks (with <20 branches): 40% of ANBC or CEOBE, with up to 32% for export lending and at least 8% for other priority sectors.
  • Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks: 75% of ANBC or CEOBE.
  • Primary Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs): Currently 40%, increasing to 75% by FY 2025-26.
• Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs):
  • Instruments that banks can purchase or sell to meet PSL targets.
  • Helps banks manage shortfalls and incentivizes lending beyond minimum requirements to priority sectors.

• Srinagar has recently been recognized as a World Craft City by the World Crafts Council.

About World Craft City:

• Launched in 2014 by the World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC-International).
• Recognizes the significant role of local authorities, craftspeople, and communities in cultural, economic, and social development.
• Establishes a global network of craft cities, supporting the creative economy.
• Indian cities recognized under the World Craft City Programme: 
  • Jaipur (Rajasthan), 
  • Mammalapuram (Tamil Nadu), and 
  • Mysore (Karnataka).

• This year, devotees will miss the chance to witness the Nabajouban Besha of the holy Trinity due to changes in the temple schedule. 

About:

• Traditionally, the deities appear in new youthful attire after spending a fortnight in the ‘anasar’ (sick room) just a day before the Rath Yatra. 
• This year, however, the ‘anasar’ period has been reduced to 13 days according to the temple almanac, leading to the cancellation of the public viewing of Nabajouban Besha. 

• The Odisha government is considering a plan to make the state liquor-free, according to Odisha Social Security Minister Nityananda Gond. 
• This announcement was made during the observance of the International Day Against Drug Abuse.

Key points:

• In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social reformers like Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda advocated for abstinence from alcohol as a way to promote social and moral purity.
• Gujarat has been dry since 1960 when the Bombay Prohibition Act was passed. The law was passed in response to the Gandhian principle of abstinence.
• Bihar banned alcohol in April 2016 with the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act. The ban was enforced to reduce alcohol-related crimes and domestic violence.
• Nagaland banned liquor in 1989. The ban was imposed by the state government to curb alcoholism, which was seen as a threat to the social and economic well-being of the people.

Article 47:

• Article 47 of the Indian Constitution states that the State shall endeavor to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and improve public health.
• The article also states that the State shall also endeavor to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are injurious to health.
• This article is significant because it highlights the importance of public health and the role of the State in promoting healthy lifestyles among its citizens.

Schedule 7:

• Alcohol comes under the State List (List II) of the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• It gives the State Governments the power to make laws with respect to “intoxicating liquors, that is to say, the production, manufacture, possession, transport, purchase, and sale of intoxicating liquors.”

• SOA(SIKSHA ‘O’ ANUSANDHAN) University and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) signed a memorandum of understanding.
• The agreement will last for five years.

Objectives:

• Involve the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to operationalize forecasting of thunderstorms and lightning at block and gram panchayat levels.
• Predict droughts.

Expansion of Detection Network:

• Increase lightning detection locations from four to eight in Odisha.
• New locations: Berhampur, Keonjhar, Balangir, and Angul.
• Existing Locations: Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Sambalpur, and Rayagada.

Public Awareness and Safety

Collaboration:

• Integrate DAMINI network, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), state government systems, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK).
• Aim: Disseminate information and create awareness to reduce lightning-related casualties.
• Significance: Odisha has high lightning-related mortality rates.

Joint Research and Development

Past Collaboration:

• Five years of experiments on lightning, thunderstorms, and atmospheric electrical parameters.
• Successful prediction of thunderstorms and lightning in various blocks across the state.

Future Efforts:

• Enhance prediction of lightning and flash droughts in western Odisha’s drought-prone districts.
• Joint research and development, guiding research students, and publishing scientific papers.

• The Forest Department released a pangolin with a tracking device into the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
• The aim is to study the pangolin’s behavior and habitat utilization for better conservation efforts.

Monitoring Process:

• Two teams from Nandankanan and Similipal North are monitoring the pangolin.
• Monitoring tools include trap cameras and VHF signal receivers with directional (Yagi) antennas.

Conservation Insights:

• Data gathered will provide insights into the pangolin’s habitat use, health status, and survival.
• This information will contribute to the conservation efforts for the species in the state.

About:

• A pangolin is a mammal of the order Pholidota, the only member of the family Manidae. 
• Pangolins are typically covered in tough scales made of keratin, which protect them from predators. 
• They are found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia.
• The Indian Pangolin, native to the Indian Subcontinent, finds itself under severe threat due to illegal wildlife trade. Despite being protected under Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and listed in Appendix-I of CITES, prohibiting trade in pangolin parts, the species is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List.

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