Prashant Mavani, is an expert in current affairs analysis and holds a MSc in Management from University of Surrey (U.K.). Above all he is a passionate teacher.

Ministry of Agriculture

• Shri Radha Mohan Singh to inaugurate World Fisheries Day Celebrations 2017

• On 21st November 1997, the working fishermen and women representing World Forum of Fish Harvesters & Fish Workers from 18countries met at New Delhi and established the World Fisheries Forum (WFF) advocating for a global mandate of sustainable fishing practices and policies.

• To commemorate this occasion, every year 21st November is celebrated all over the world as World Fisheries Day.

• In India, it is being celebrated for the fourth consecutive year.

• This year the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, is celebrating it on 21st November 2017 at the National Agricultural Science Centre (NASC) Complex, Pusa Road, New Delhi.

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Ministry of Agriculture

• This year’s theme is “2022 Ka Hai Sapna … Kisan Ki Aay Ho Dugna - Sankalp Se Siddhi”.

• Exhibition, technical sessions and information on Blue revolution Schemes are the main attractions of the event.

• Topics on components and targets of

Blue Revolution

Shrimp aquaculture,

Sustainable intensification of aquaculture,

Cage culture

Tilapia culture,

Ornamental fish farming,

Aquatic animal health management

Policy on fisheries, etc., all of which would lead to increase in production and productivity, will be discussed.

• Fishers, fish Farmers, entrepreneurs, Departmental officers from States, extension workers, scientists, and other dignitaries from all over the country will participate in the event.

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Department of Space

• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman AS Kiran Kumar has said, the key to success in space endeavours is bringing down the cost of space technology which can benefit common citizens.

• Inaugurating an international seminar on Indian space programme in New Delhi today, Mr Kumar said, the Indian Space Programme is helping in governance and ISRO is extremely capable of supporting space infrastructure.

• Mr Kumar said, Chandrayaan-I discovered water on the moon and the Mars Orbiter space aircraft just completed 3 years in orbit.

• He, however, said, ISRO is only scratching the surface of its capabilities.

• Mr Kumar said, today India has 42 satellites that are providing earth observation, communication and navigation facilities. −

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Minister for Road Transport and Highways

• Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the first edition of Smart Mobility Conference in New Delhi today.

• Speaking in the occasion, Mr Gadkari said, rising congestion on roads and highways is a very serious problem in the country which is leading to severe pollution problem and road accidents.

• He said, it's high time that public transport should be run on electricity and the country should move to alternative fuels as these are cost effective and less harmful.

• Mr Gadkari said, his ministry is in talks with Ministry of Defence to widen the road from Dhaula kuan in Delhi to the IGI Airport.

• The Smart Mobility conference focuses on smart mobility solutions that enable faster, greener and cheaper transportation of people and freight while reducing congestion and aims to set sustainable and electric mobility management system in the country.

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Ministry of Finance

• A Guarantee Agreement for IBRD/CTF loan of USD 98 million and Grant Agreement for USD 2 million for the “Shared Infrastructure for Solar Parks Project” was signed with the World Bank here today by Mr Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of Government of India, and Mr Hisham A. Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank India, on behalf of the World Bank.

• A Loan Agreement was also signed by Mr K S Popli, Chairman and Managing Director, India Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and Mr Hisham A. Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank India, on behalf of the World Bank.

• The project consists of two components viz. 1. Shared Infrastructure for Solar Parks (estimated total project cost of USD 100 million, including USD 75

million in IBRD loan and USD 23 million in CTF Loan)2. Technical Assistance (USD 2 million in CTF Grant)

• The objective of the project is to increase solar generation capacity through establishment of large-scale parks in the country.

• The project will help establish large-scale solar parks and support the government’s plan to install 100 Gigawatts (GW) of solar power out of a total renewable-energy target of 175 GW by 2022.

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Gujarat Assembly elections −

• The poll process for the second and final phase of Gujarat Assembly elections began today with the issuance of notification. Polling in this phase will be held on the 14th of next month in 93 constituencies.

• The last date for filing of nominations is the 27th of this month.

• Scrutiny will be held the next day, with 30th being the last date for withdrawal.

• Tomorrow is the last day for filing of nominations for the first phase, in which 89 seats will go to polls on the 9th.

• Meanwhile, BJP today released the third list of 28 candidates.

• Overall, the party has announced 134 candidates for elections to the 182-member Assembly.

• Congress had released its first list of 77 candidates last evening.

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Focus Topic: State-wise Health Report

• Name: ‘India: Health of the Nation’s States — the India State-level Disease Burden Initiative’

• It is a study that is comparing the health of citizens in 2016 with that in 1990.

Positive Points

• Life expectancy has gone up by almost 10 years

• Up from 59.7 years in 1990 to 70.3 years in 2016, women have an edge over men.

• Socio-economic development over these years has to some extent been in tandem with the control of communicable diseases, which have traditionally been our bane.

• This is reflected in the drop of the incidence of malnutrition, diarrhoea, anaemia and tuberculosis in the developed states of Punjab, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

• Their infant mortality and immunisation rates too show a marked improvement.

Negative Points

• Sadly, these ailments continue to plague the poorer states of Uttarakhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, with a huge number of patients still succumbing to them.

• But the prosperous states too are not in the pink of health despite having tackled communicable diseases.

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• The new red flag is the rise in lifestyle-related ailments and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes and respiratory and heart illnesses.

• In fact, Punjab is the capital of ischemic heart disease.

• The share of NCDs in the total burden of disease has increased to 55 per cent from 30 per cent in these 26 years.

• In all, the widening demographic disparities — characterised by a malnutrition death in Odisha and an obese kid in Punjab — add up to a severe health crisis.

• India bears one-fifth burden of the world’s disease, we now have a state-wise break-up of the burden.

• The national health providers, in conjunction with states, would do well to take this as a prescription for the treatment of the problem.

• Along with shifting focus on preventive medicine and building capacity to tackle NCDs, it is important to give a financial booster dose to the health sector.

• Right now, it’s woefully inadequate at 1.15 per cent of the GDP.

• Plus, of course, the onus falls on the individual to mitigate lifestyle and behavioural/occupational diseases.

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Questions

1. Which of the following is the latest site found in India in terms of Harappan civilization?a) Dholavira

b) Amri

c) Bhimbad

d) Alamgipur

2. As per 2011 census, which is the most populous Union Territory in Indiaa) Delhi

b) Puducherry

c) Chandigarh

d) Andaman and Nicobar

3. Which one of the following is a Fundamental Duty as per the Constitution of India?a) Separation of Judiciary from Executive

b) To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture

c) Free and compulsory education for children

d) Abolition of untouchability

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