Current Affairs 10th April

National Affairs

1. “IT Amendment Rules 2023” is notified by MeitY: FactChecker appointed by the government to spot fake news

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules 2021), pertaining to online gaming and the dissemination of false and misleading information regarding government business, was notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

 

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 (IT Amendment Rules, 2023) will be the name given to the revised regulations.

 

MeitY is given the authority to establish a “fact-checking unit” with broad authority to determine what is “fake, false, or misleading” in relation to “any business of the Union Government” in accordance with the 2023 amendment.

 

The Central Government’s notified Fact Check Unit will identify the false, fake, or misleading information.

 

According to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State (MoS) for MeitY, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) fact-checking unit is the “preferred agency” for the job, and other government-appointed fact-checking organizations may also be notified in the future.

 

Key Points:

 

Information pertaining to Union Government schemes will be the sole responsibility of the government fact-checking body.

 

It would send intermediaries necessary notices of content that it found to be false or misleading.

 

Private fact-checking organizations will be established through a separate process in the future.

 

As a component of the additional expected level of effort prerequisites, online entertainment mediators (likeFacebook and Twitter) and telecom specialist co-ops should caution clients not to have,show, transfer, change, distribute, communicate, store, update, or offer any data in connection to any movement of the Association Government that has been hailed as phony, bogus, or on the other hand deluding by such a reality actually look at unit.

 

After the fact-checking unit requests that content be removed, the intermediary will lose safe harbor for that piece of content.

 

Important issues:

 

There is no indication of the regulatory mechanism for this MeitY-established fact-checking unit. 

 

In addition, MeitY has not addressed judicial oversight, the right to appeal, or the adherence to the Shreya Singhal v. Union of India case-specific guidelines regarding the prohibition of social media handles or the removal of content.

 

The negative impact that these restrictions have on the fundamental right to free speech and expression grows as the new rules are made public.

 

The news media, activists, and press freedom in India will all suffer greatly as a result of these amendments.

 

Note: Indian digital liberties group Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) works to ensure that technology upholds fundamental rights.

2. Union Cabinet grants approval to LIGO-India to build gravitational-wave Detector in Maharashtra

On sixth April 2023, the Association Bureau of the Public authority of India headed by Prime

Minister(PM) Narendra Modi supported the LIGO-India(Laser Interferometer

Gravitational-wave Observatory in India) uber science proposition for research on

gravitational waves.

 

In collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory in the United States, the LIGO-India project will construct a cutting-edge gravitational wave observatory in Hingoli, Maharashtra (India).

 

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) are in charge of the LIGO project’s pilot program.

 

It is anticipated that the Rs 2600 crore undertaking will be completed by 2030.

 

Note: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) form the LIGO Laboratory consortium.

3. Visit of His Majesty The King of Bhutan to India – April 03-05, 2023

His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, traveled to India on an official trip from April 3 to April 5, 2023, along with Lyonpo Dr. Tandi Dorji, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, and other high-ranking members of the Royal Government of Bhutan.

 

India and Bhutan have ties i. India and Bhutan have extraordinary fellowship and cooperation ties that are recognized by trust and common comprehension.

 

India was the first nation to offer Indian-made Covishield vaccines to Bhutan during the COVID-19 pandemic. It sent 13 packages of medical supplies and was the first nation to respond to Bhutan’s medical requirements.

 

In the past, India has been Bhutan’s most important trading partner and investor.

The finalization of a joint plan of action to deepen their partnership in space technology is one of the new measures that India and Bhutan have agreed upon to strengthen their cooperation in sectors such as hydropower, trade, and space. Other new measures include the completion of a joint plan of action to deepen their partnership in space technology.

 

India has agreed to raise the tariff on the Chhukha hydroelectric power (HEP) project and is negotiating an additional standby credit line for Bhutan. Additionally, India has decided to increase its support for Bhutan’s forthcoming 13th Five-Year Plan, which runs from 2023 to 28.

4. PM Inaugurates, Lays Foundation for Projects Worth Rs 11,300 cr in Telangana

Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi introduced and established the groundwork stone for

different improvement projects worth over Rs 11,300 crore in Telangana during his

visit to Telangana on eighth April 2023.

 

He also gave a speech to the general public at the Secunderabad Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, Telangana, during his visit.

 

The PM started the Vande Bharat train from Secunderabad to Tirupati:

 

He also gave the go-to signal for the Vande Bharat Express train that runs between Secunderabad and Tirupati.

 

For the two Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, this is the second Vande Bharat train.

 

With limited stops at Nalgonda, Guntur, Ongole, and Nellore, this will reduce the travel time from Hyderabad to Tirupathi to approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes—three hours less than the usual travel time.

5. 8th Anniversary of the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana 

The 8th anniversary of the launch of the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) Yojana (PMMY) was celebrated by the Ministry of Finance on April 8, 2023.

 

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi launched PMMY on April 8, 2015, in New Delhi, Delhi.

 

Goal of PMMY:

 

to make it easier for non-corporate, non-farm small and micro-entrepreneurs to obtain easy, collateral-free microcredit of up to Rs 10 lakh for activities that generate income.

Concerning the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY):

 

Relevance of PMMY:

 

The Public Mission of Monetary Consideration in India depends on 3 support points:

 

One of these pillars, “Funding the unfunded,” is accomplished through the PMMY flagship scheme. Other pillars include banking the unbanked, securing the unsecured, and funding the unfunded.

 

Aspects of PMMY:

 

Based on the level of business maturity and the need for financing, the loans have been divided into three categories.

 

Loans of up to Rs. 50,000 are offered by Shishu, Kishore, and Tarun. Loans of up to Rs. 5 lakh and up to Rs. 10 lakh are offered by Tarun. Lending institutions use guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to determine the interest rate.

 

Only overnight deposits made by the borrower are subject to interest charges in the case of a working capital facility.

 

Achievements:

 

Around Rs 23.2 lakh crore has been approved for 40.82 crore loan accounts as of March 24, 2023.

 

Women entrepreneurs account for 68% of the scheme’s accounts, while entrepreneurs from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other backward classes (OBC) account for 51%.

 

Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) provide loans under this program:

 

Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs), Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and other financial intermediaries

International Affairs

1. Mumbai ranked 19th in ‘Best public transport in the world 2023‘

Mumbai (Maharashtra), India’s Financial Capital, was ranked 19th on the list of “Best public transport in the world 2023” in a survey conducted by Time Out, a global magazine based in London, United Kingdom. The list only includes Mumbai, which is the only city in India.

 

Berlin, Germany, tops the list thanks to its world-class public transportation system. It has the most dependable, safe, and agreeable public vehicle organization.

 

97% of the city’s inhabitants praised the public transportation system, particularly the U-Bahn metro system.

 

Assessment:

 

The survey was taken by 20,000 people in 50 cities around the world to find out how people feel about their local transportation systems. The top five cities on Time Out’s list are:

Rank City Country Berlin, Germany, Prague, Czech Republic, Tokyo, Japan, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden

 

Mumbai has a magnificent suburban rail network, which is beneficial to the 12.5 million-person metropolitan area. According to 81% of Mumbai residents, using public transportation is simple.

 

The Chalo Pay app, a pioneer in Indian public transportation ii, has also been introduced by the city. Subways, above-ground trains, buses, trams, and even ferries are all included in the broad category of public transportation.

 

7 of the main 19 urban communities are from Asia. Time Out is a global media company that describes itself as “dedicated to city life” and focuses on the hospitality industry.

Banking and Finance

1. India supports African Union Transition Mission in Somalia with USD 2 million

In support of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ruchira Kamboj gave USD 2 million to the UN Trust Fund.

 

The Government of India (GoI) reaffirms its commitment to fostering peace and stability in Somalia and the Horn of Africa with this grant.

 

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) had previously received $4 million from India.

 

Key Points:

 

ATMIS is pivotal for fostering a safe climate that considers the counteraction

of psychological oppression completed by Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

 

India has actively worked to ensure a smooth transition from AMISOM to ATMIS in accordance with Somalia’s security requirements as an elected UNSC member.

 

The Government of India has been a “steadfast supporter” of AMISOM and has participated in peacekeeping operations in Somalia for more than 30 years.

 

India continues to assist the United Nations and the African Union (AU) in the fight against terrorism and the promotion of peace and stability in Somalia and the Horn of Africa as a whole.

 

I belong to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). In accordance with African Union Peace and Security Council Communique 1068 of March 8, 2022, and Security Council decision 2628 (2022), ATMIS was established on April 1, 2022.

 

Objective: to support the Somali Transitional Plan’s implementation in order to fully delegate security responsibilities to Somali security forces and institutions by the end of 2024.

 

The primary objective of ATMIS is to lessen the threat posed by Al-Shabaad, a terrorist organization.

Economy and Business

1. TVS SCS wins UK Defence Ministry Contract for supplying Land Rover Spares 

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) awarded TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS), a division of TVS Mobility Group, the contract to supply spares, consumables, and accessories for the Land Rover Wolf Platform through its agent, Babcock Land Defence Ltd.

 

TVS SCS will use its accredited inventory management, procurement, and supply chain expertise to maximize the availability of spare parts for this legacy vehicle platform under this two-plus-one-year contract.

 

The TVS SCS’s commitment to providing innovative and resilient supply chain services in order to maximize the availability of the equipment it operates across the UK’s MOD’s land, sea, and air domains is reflected in the contract.

Science and Technology

1. SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Intelsat 40E with NASA’s TEMPO High-Resolution Air Quality Control Mission 

The Tropospheric Emissions: Launched by NASA on April 7, 2023, was carried out by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. From Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument.

The instrument was worked by Ball Aviation and incorporated onto satellite Intelsat

40E by Maxar.

The slogan for TEMPO, “It’s about time,” emphasizes the company’s capacity to provide hourly data on air pollution.

Rhythm has an essential mission of 20 months, however it can continue working past that.

About Rhythm:

iThe first space-based instrument to measure air quality over North America hourly during the day and over several square miles will be TEMPO. Beat information will assume a significant part in the logical examination of contamination, counting investigations of busy time contamination, the potential for further developed air quality alarms,

 

the impacts of lightning on ozone, the development of contamination from woods fires and

volcanoes, among others.

 

The scientific data record on air pollution, including ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and formaldehyde, over not only the continental United States but also Canada, Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and a portion of Hispaniola, will be significantly enhanced by its observations.

 

Regarding Intelsat 40e:

 

Intelsat 40e is a high level geostationary satellite that will give high-throughput

availability to the organization’s administration and endeavor clients across North

what’s more, Focal America.

 

NASA’s TEMPO served as a hosted payload on the satellite, which Maxar Technologies, based in Colorado, developed.

 

In a geostationary orbit (GEO) about 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometers) above the equator of Earth, Intelsat 40e will be positioned at 91 degrees West.

 

The Intelsat 40e is built to last at least 15 years and is powered by two large solar arrays.

 

2. James Webb Telescope Discovered 4 Oldest Galaxies

 

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a group of 80 international astronomers from ten countries discovered the four oldest galaxies in the known universe, according to papers in the journal “Nature.”

 

The JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES), which takes up just over a month of the telescope’s time over two years and aims to provide a view of the early universe that is unparalleled in both depth and detail, was the focus of the observations.

 

It took more than 13.4 billion years for the light from the four galaxies to reach Webb, which is nearly 15 lakh kilometers away from Earth.

 

These systems date back to under 400 million years after the huge explosion when

our universe became fully awake.

 

During the epoch of reionization, when astronomers believe the first stars were formed, these four galaxies exist.