Current Affairs Question - 07 September 2019

Explanation :

• The Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment (AIDA) project seeks to explore the defence mechanism through deflection. It is an ambitious double-spacecraft mission to deflect an asteroid in space.
• AIDA is a joint collaboration between European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Observatoire de la Côte d´Azur (OCA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA), and the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
• The purpose of this two-spacecraft system is to deflect the orbit of one of the bodies that make up the binary asteroid Didymos, which orbits between Earth and Mars. While one spacecraft will collide with a binary Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), the other will observe the impact and survey the crash site in order to gather as much data as possible about this method of asteroid defense.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• Launched in July, 2019, the ‘one nation, one ration card’ is an inter-state ration card portability scheme that allows migrants to get their quota of ration from any public distribution system (PDS) across the country. The Centre plans to extend this scheme to all states by 2020.
• At present, the scheme is operational between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as well as of that Maharashtra and Gujarat.
• With effect from 1st October 2019, two new clusters, Kerala and Karnataka and Rajasthan and Haryana, will join the initiative of inter-state portability of ration cards.

Significance:

• This initiative shall be helpful for the large migratory population of the country, who migrate from one part of the country to another in search of job or employment, marriage, or any other reason, and find difficulty in accessing subsidi sed food grains in the present system.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• In Postal Ballot Voting, ballot papers are distributed electronically to electors and are returned to the election officers via post.
• Currently, the following voters group is allowed to cast their votes through postal ballot:
• Service voters (armed forces, the armed police force of a state and government servants posted abroad),
• Voters on election duty
• Voters under preventive detention
• Keen on expanding the ambit of postal ballots, the Election Commission (EC) has proposed to allow voters on duty in the aviation sector, shipping sector, trains, fire services, medical services, traffic, long-distance road transport corporation buses, the aged, the physically challenged, and journalists covering elections to vote by post in the upcoming assembly elections.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• The member countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO) from the South-East AsianRegion have resolved to eliminate two diseases-Measles and Rubella by 2023.
• The target to eliminate both the diseases will leverage the existing momentum and a strong political commitment, which is being demonstrated through unprecedented efforts, progress and successes in recent years.
• Five countries in the South-East Asia region - Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste have eliminated measles, but India continues to grapple with 39,299 cases, ranking fourth among 194 countries in the number of measles cases registered between July 2018 and June 2019.
• Currently, six countries have controlled rubella - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste.

Rubella

• Also known as German measles.
• It is a contagious disease that occurs most often in children and young adults.
• In pregnant women it causes congenital defects known as Congenital Rubella Syndromewhich in causes irreversible birth defect.

Measles

• It is a highly contagious viral disease particularly dangerous for poor children as it attacks and reduced immunity.
• It can cause serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• On 8^th September, 2019, the Central Government constituted a task force to draw up a National Infrastructure Pipeline for each of the financial years from 2019-20 to 2024-25.

About NIP

• The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) will be guided by the task force consisting of six members and led by the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs. NITI Aayog CEO or a nominee by him/her will also be part of the task force.
• The NIP would include greenfield and brownfield projects costing above Rs. 100 crore each.
• The terms of reference of the task force for FY20 have also been notified and it will submit its first report on the NIP by 31 October, 2019. Another report on the indicative pipelines for financia l years 21-25 w ill also be submitted by the committee by 31 December 2019.

Term of Reference

• It includes identifying technically feasible, financially and economically viable infrastructure projects that can be started in 2019-20.
• It will also enable robust marketing of the pipeline of projects requiring private investment through the India Investment Grid (IIG), National Investment & Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and other such entities.
• It will suggest measures to monitor the projects so that cost and time overruns are minimized.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• The NilgiriTahr(Nilgiritragushylocrius) is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which provides absolute protection and offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties and categorized as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN.
• It is endemic to the Nilgirihill ranges of the Western Ghats of Southern peninsular India in pockets where a suitable mosaic of Montane Grasslands and rugged terrain exist.
• Adult males develop a light grey area or “saddle” on their backs and are hence called “saddlebacks”.

Mukurthi National Park

• Previously known as NilgiriTahr National Park, it is a protected area located in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu in the Western Ghats.
• It was created to protect its keystone species, the NilgiriTahr.
• The park is characterised by montane grasslands and shrublands interspersed with sholas in a high altitude area of high rainfall, near-freezing temperatures and high winds.
• It is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve along with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and Silent Valley.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online