10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #31 December 6, 2019

Explanation: The challenge of tackling the climate emergency is helped, to an extent, by natural carbon sinks — forests, soil, and the oceans. These sinks absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, partially offsetting the huge surplus of emissions that humans add to it. While land and forests are central to discussions on emission reduction, and are a designated ‘sector’ under most assessments of national emissions, the oceans do not get the same treatment. This is due to a combination of factors. Only a limited part of the oceans is legally part of any given nation’s territory, making them difficult to account for. Unlike other sinks, ocean uptake of carbon dioxide has a huge negative effect — ocean acidification — which threatens species, especially sensitive ones like coral. Oceans need a different type of climate solution. A new international initiative at the 25th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP25) currently underway in Madrid aims to kick-start the search for such solutions. The Platform of Science-based Ocean Solutions aims “to enhance the sharing of knowledge created by various actors in the ocean and climate community to advance ocean-climate action”.

Explanation: The Minister of Civil Aviation Shri P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju released the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 in New Delhi today. This is the first time since independence that an integrated Civil Aviation Policy has been brought out by the Ministry. Speaking on the occasion Shri Raju said that the centre-piece of the policy is to make regional air connectivity a reality. He said that the policy aims to take flying to the masses by making it affordable and convenient, establish an integrated eco-system which will lead to significant growth of the civil aviation sector to promote tourism, employment and balanced regional growth, enhance regional connectivity through fiscal support and infrastructure development and enhance ease of doing business through deregulation, simplified procedures and e-governance.

The policy is very comprehensive, covering 22 areas of the Civil Aviation sector. Its salient features are as follows: Regional Connectivity Scheme
•This scheme will come into effect in the second quarter of 2016-17
•Airfare of about Rs2500 per passenger for a one-hour flight

Explanation: Bharat Bond ETF would be the first corporate Bond exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the country. The objective of the fund is to create an additional source of funding for Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs), Central Public Financial Institutions (CPFIs) and other Government organizations. The index will be managed by an independent index provider, National Stock Exchange. The fund will have a fixed maturity of three and ten years and will trade on the stock exchanges. It will invest in a portfolio of bonds of state-run companies and other government entities. It will provide retail investors easy and low-cost access to bond markets with smaller amount as low as ₹1,000.

Explanation: Giving a major boost to the pro-farmer initiatives of the Government and in keeping with its commitment and dedication for the Annadata, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved a new Umbrella Scheme “Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan’ (PM-AASHA). The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018. This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of India to protect the farmers’ income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers. Government has already increased the MSP of kharif crops by following the principle of 1.5 times the cost of production. It is expected that the increase in MSP will be translated to farmer’s income by way of robust procurement mechanism in coordination with the State Governments. The new Umbrella Scheme includes the mechanism of ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers and is comprised of
•Price Support Scheme (PSS),
•Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
•Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockiest Scheme (PPPS).

Explanation: Recently, To find a solution to stubble burning issue, India is testing a Swedish technology torrefaction that can convert rice stubble into ‘bio-coal’. Torrefaction is a thermal process to convert biomass into a coal-like material which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass. It involves heating up straw, grass, saw mill residue and wood biomass to 250 degrees Celsius to around 350 degrees Celsius. This changes the elements of the biomass into ‘coal-like’ pellets. These pellets can then are used for combustion along with coal for industrial applications like steel and cement production.