9 PM Current Affairs Brief – March 26th, 2020

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We are posting Todays 9pm Current Affair Brief

About 9pm Current Affair Brief – This initiative provides a brief of all the relevant articles of day in a clear, concise and easily consumable format. Students don’t need to look anywhere more for your daily news bytes. It will help students in their prelims and mains preparation.

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World Water Development Report 2020

News:The World Water Development Report 2020 has been released.

Facts:

• The report is produced annually by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme(WWAP) and released by UN-Water.
• Title: Water and climate Change

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MACS 4028- Wheat Variety

News:Scientists from Agharkar Research Institute (ARI),Pune, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology have developed a wheat variety named MACS 4028.

Facts:

MACS-4028:

• It is a biofortified durum wheat variety.
• Benefits: High protein content, better zinc and iron content, superior and stable yielding ability and good milling quality.
• Resistance to: stem rust, leaf rust, foliar aphids, root aphids and brown wheat mite.

Additional Facts:

• Biofortification: It is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding or modern biotechnology.

Centre for Internet of Ethical Things

News:Karnataka Government has decided to set up a Centre for Internet of Ethical Things In Bengaluru.

Facts:

• It is a collaboration with the World Economic Forum(WEF) 
• Aim: To bring together aspects of Artificial Intelligence(AI), Internet of Things(IoT) and Ethics on a single platform.

Additional Facts:

• Artificial Intelligence: It refers to the ability of machines to perform cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving, learning, problem-solving and decision making(NITI Aayog).
• Internet of Things: It is a system of interrelated devices that can connect and share data over a network without requiring the human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

 #StayHomeIndiaWithBooks Initiative

News:National Book Trust(NBT) has launched #StayHomeIndiaWithBooks initiative in the wake of preventive measures taken by the Government of India to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Facts:

• Aim: To encourage people to read books by staying at Home.

Additional Facts:

National Book Trust:

• It is an Indian publishing house which functions as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

National Food Security Act,2013

News:Cabinet has approved the supply of 2 kg extra subsidised food grains through the ration shops under the National Food Security Act,2013.

Facts:

• Nodal agency:Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
• Objective:To provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to an adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices.
• Coverage:67% of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas)
• Allocation:Eligible persons will be entitled to receive 5 Kgs of foodgrains per person per month at subsidised prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains.
• The existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households which constitute the poorest of the poor receives 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a nutritious take home ration of 600 Calories and a maternity benefit of at least Rs 6,000 for six months.
• Children upto 14 years of age are also entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed nutritional standards.
• Grievance Cell:The act also contains provisions for setting up of grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels.

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