Current Affairs 18-19 February

President Droupadi Murmu Gives Assent to Public Examinations (Prevention of UnfairMeans) Bill, 2024

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of UnfairMeans) Bill, 2024, aimed at preventing malpractices in government recruitment examinations.
The Bill was passed by the 2 Houses of Parliament inthe Budget session is intended to prevent unfairmeans in the public examinations.

Points to Note:

• The Bill got the approval from the President andshall come into force on a date decided by thecentral government by notification in an officialGazette.
• The Bill, which has become an Act now with thePresident’s approval, defines several offences aboutpublic examinations.

Public examinations:

Public examinations in the act refer toexaminations conducted by the Union PublicService Commission (UPSC), Staff SelectionCommission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board(RRB), National Testing Agency (NTA), Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS), and Departmentsof the central government and their attached offices for recruitment.

Objective:

• The objective of the Bill lies in fostering greater transparency, fairness, and credibility within the publicexamination systems.
• It aims to assure the youth that their sincere efforts will be fairly rewarded, securing their future.

Prohibited Activities:

• The Bill intended to prohibit collusion or conspiracy to facilitate indulgence in any unfair means including:
  Unauthorised access or leakage of question papers or answer keys.
  Assisting a candidate during a public examination.
  Tampering with computer networks.
  Conducting fake examinations.
  Issuing fake admit cards and offer letters.
• The Act also prohibits:
  Disclosing exam-related confidential information before time; and
  Unauthorised people from entering exam centers to create disruptions.

Protection of Candidates:

The Bill defines candidates and ensures they won’t be subject to actions within the purview of the Bill.Instead, they remain covered by existing administrative provisions of the relevant public examinationauthority.

Penalties:

Offenders under the Bill will face severe penalties, including:
Imprisonment ranging from 3 to 10 years.
Fines ranging from Rs. 10 lakh to 1 crore.
Note: All offenses under the Bill are cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable.

Accountability of Service Providers:

• The legislation prohibits service providers from shifting exam centers without permission from theexamination authority.
• Service providers will be barred from conducting public exams for 4 years.
• The proportionate cost of examination will also be recovered from such a service provider.
  Note: The service provider is an organisation that provides computer resources or any other support to apublic examination authority.

Union Minister Parshottam Rupala Launches the Realigned AHIDF Scheme



Union Minister Parshotam Rupala, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying(MoFAH&D) haslaunched the realigned Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund(AHIDF) Scheme at NewDelhi, Delhi.
He also released a radio jingle(advertisementmusic) on AHIDF.

Background:

• AHIDF was launched on 24th June 2020 by thePrime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi under theAtmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Initiative with anoutlay of Rs 15000 crore.
• On 1st February 2024, The union cabinetapproved the continuation of the AHIDF under theInfrastructure Development Fund (IDF)with anoutlay of Rs 29,610.25 crore.
• The realigned scheme will be implemented forthree years from 31st March 2023 till 2025-26.

About the AHIDF Scheme:

• The Scheme will encourage investments in animal-based (Dairy and Meat) processing and diversification,Animal Feed Plant, breed multiplication farms, Agri-waste management, and veterinary vaccine/drugproduction facilities.
• Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund(DIDF) has been subsumed in the realigned AHIDF. The interestsubvention for Dairy Cooperatives has been increased to 3% under the realigned AHIDF instead of the 2.5%under DIDF.

Eligibile entities:

Farmer Producer Organization(FPO); Private companies; Individual Entrepreneurs; Section 8 companies andMicro Small and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs)

Benefits:

• Beneficiaries will get a 3% interest subsidy for 8 years(including 2 years of moratorium).
• Beneficiaries can receive loans up to 90% of the project’s estimated or actual cost from scheduledbanks.The scheme has no maximum or minimum limit on loan amounts.
• Beneficiaries will get a credit guarantee of up to 25% of term loan.
• It also has the option of integrating with capital subsidy schemes from other ministries or state-levelschemes.

GoI Announces 1st Ever National Creator’s Awards for New-age Influencers &Creators



The Government of India (GoI) through its citizen engagement platform MyGov announced the first-ever‘National Creators Award’ to recognise and celebrate the contributions of new-age influencers, and contentcreators and celebrate India’s digital creator economy.
The awards will recognise outstanding creativity and innovationsacross over 20 categories in diverse sectors such as education,social change, environmental sustainability, gaming, and more.

Objective:

The award aims to highlight the diverse voices and talents thatshape India’s growth, influence its cultural narrative, contributeto positive social change, and promote innovation and creativityin the digital sphere.

CIAL & BPCL signed MoU to set up World’s 1st Green Hydrogen Plant Within anAirport



Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) withBharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to set up the world’s first green hydrogen plant and fuelingstation within an airport setting.
Under this MoU, a 1000 kilowatt (KW) pilotproject will be established at the airport premises ofCochin International Airport, Ernakulam, Kerala.

Key Points:

• As per the MoU, CIAL will provide land, water,and green energy resources for the construction ofthe green hydrogen plant.
• BPCL will provide technology for theestablishment of plant and fueling stations andmanages the overall operations.
• The initial output of the plant will be utilized forpowering vehicles within the airport premises.
• The plant is expected to be completed in 2025.

What is Green Hydrogen?

• Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced usingrenewable energy sources through a process known as electrolysis.
• Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2).
  Additional Info:In 2015, CIAL became the world’s first airport which is fully powered by solar energy.

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL):

• BPCL is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) functioning under the Ministry ofPetroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
• In 1952, incorporated as a private limited company with the name Burmah Shell Refineries Limited andrenamed as BPCL in 1977.
• Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) – G Krishnakumar
• Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

2023 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 List: RIL Tops as Most Valued IndianCompany for 3rd Consecutive Year



According to the 2023 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500released by Axis Bank’s Burgundy Private and Hurun India,Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has emerged as the India’smost valuable company for the 3rd consecutive year with a valueof Rs 15,64,663 crore.
RIL is followed by Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) with a valueof Rs 12,36,229 crore and HDFC Bank with Rs. 11,25,975 croreat 2nd and 3rd spot.

About Hurun Report Inc.:

Hurun Report is a leading research, luxury publishing and eventsgroup established in 1998 in London, the United Kingdom(UK).
It has presence in various countries including India, China,France, UK and Japan. Hurun India was launched in 2012.
Founder & Chief Researcher (Hurun India) – Anas RahmanJunaid
Headquarters (Hurun India)- Mumbai, Maharashtra

Havildar Varinder Singh of Sikh Regiment conferred Vishisht Seva Medal forOctocopter Development



Havildar Varinder Singh of the Sikh Regiment in the Indian Army was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal(VSM) for designing an innovative drone called ‘a multipurpose octocopter’.
He was one of the 130 Vishisht Seva Medalawardees announced by President DroupadiMurmu on 25th January 2024.

About Vishisht Seva Medal:

The Vishisht Seva Medal was instituted on 26th Jan1960 as VSM Class-III to recognize thedistinguished service of a high order. It wasrenamed in January 1967 as VSM.
Medal: The 35-millimeter (mm) diameter medal iscircular in shape and made of bronze.The medal’s front side features a five-pointed star,while the reverse bears the State Emblem with thetext written around the upper edge.
Ribbon: The medal is attached to a gold color ribbon which has three dark blue stripes dividing it into fourequal parts.

About Indian Army:

Chief of the Army Staff – General Manoj Pande
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Founded – 1895

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully Launches H3 rocket



On 17th February 2024, Japan AerospaceExploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launchedthe second H3 Launch Vehicle (H3TF2) from theTanegashima Space Center, off the coast ofKyushu, Japan.
i.The H3 rocket was developed by JAXA alongwith Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited (MHI).
ii.H3 carried a dummy satellite, VEP 4 (VehicleEvaluation Payload 4), and two functioningmicrosatellites, CE-SAT-1E and TIRSAT, for earthobservation purposes.
iii.The cost-effective rocket is designed to carry a6.5 metric tonne payload into space for 5 billionJapanese yen (USD 33 million) per launch.
Note: H3 is the successor to the H-IIA launchsystem, debuted in 2001. Previously, H3 had suffered two failures in February 2023 and March 2023 due totechnical issues.

Global Tourism Resilience Day 2024- February 17



United Nations (UN) Global Tourism Resilience Day (GTRD) is annually observed across the globe on 17February to recognise the importance of fostering resilience in the tourism industry.
GTRD observance emphasises the necessity to address and navigate shocks,considering the inherent vulnerability of the tourism sector to emergencies.
17 February 2024 marks the observance of the 2nd Global Tourism Resilience Day.

Background:

• On 6 February 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted theresolution A/RES/77/269 and proclaimed the 17 February of every year as GlobalTourism Resilience Day.
• The first-ever Global Tourism Resilience Day was observed on 17 February2023.

About United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO):

Secretary-General– Zurab Pololikashvili
Headquarters– Madrid, Spain
Established in– 1975

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar Launched ‘Van Mitra’ Scheme & Portal toEncourage Community Participation in Plantation



Manohar Lal Khattar, Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana, launched the ‘Van Mitra‘ scheme and its portalto encourage community participation in tree plantation activities on non-forest lands.

About Van Mitra’ scheme:

Objective: To empower local community toparticipate in expanding Haryana’s greencover, increase the survival rates of newlyplanted trees and to increase tree planting innon-forest land outside traditional forestzones.

Financial Incentives:

• Under the scheme, each ‘van mitra’ willreceive an incentive, based on themaintenance of the plant for up to 4 years andthey can plant a maximum of 1,000 saplings.
• In the first year, Van mitras will receive Rs 20 per pit following this, Rs 30 will be awarded for eachsapling planted.

Odisha Cabinet Approves SWAYAM Scheme to Provide Interest-free Loan toUnemployed Youths



Odisha cabinet approved various proposals including the establishment of a new scheme named SwatantraYuva Udyami Scheme (SWAYAM), to provideinterest-free loans to unemployed/underemployedyouths, and to promote self-employment among theyouths in Odisha.
Under the scheme, the eligible youth in the agegroup of 18-35 residing in both rural and urbanareas in Odisha can avail loan of up to Rs 1 lakh tostart a new business or expand the existing ones.

Eligibility Criteria:

• All rural unemployed youth or those withoutoutstanding loans from central/state schemes forthe same purpose.
• Should be in the age group of 18-35 years; (18-40 years for the special category).
• In rural areas, the applicant’s family is covered under the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and IncomeAugmentation (KALIA) or Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) and should earn less than Rs 2 lakhannually, where “family” implies self and spouse.
  In the urban area, the applicant’s family must be covered under the BSKY scheme or earn less than Rs 3lakh annually.
• The applicant must have a UDYAM registered/assisted number.
  Exclusions: Applicants with outstanding loans or defaults, public sector employees, and governmentemployees are ineligible.