Platform for Block Chain Technology
- The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an arm of the Reserve Bank of India, is developing a model platform for Block Chain technology.
- A Block chain is a public distributed ledger or decentralised database that keeps records of digital transactions.
- It is seen as the main technological innovation of bitcoin, since it stands as proof of all the transactions on the network.
- Each node (computer) connected to the bitcoin network using a client gets a copy of the database, which gets downloaded automatically upon joining the bitcoin network and and shared by all nodes.
- It removes the need for a third-party by directly connecting the customers and suppliers on the same platform.
Sunrise Industry
- Sunrise Industry is a colloquial term for a sector or business that is in its early stage, but is growing at a rapid pace and expected to become important in the future.
- It is often characterized by a high degree of innovation, and its rapid emergence may threaten the competing industry to decline state.
- Usually dynamic sectors such as technology related industries are considered as sunrise industries. E.g. Telecom industry in the mid 1990’s
- The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) wants sunrise sector status accorded to energy efficiency industries.
Swacch Vidyalaya Puraskar
- Ministry of HRD instituted Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar in 2016-17 to recognize, inspire and celebrate excellence in water, sanitation and hygiene practices in schools.
- For the first time, government schools in Central and State level have been ranked on the basis of Water, Sanitation, Operations and Maintenance, Behaviour Change and Capacity Building.
- Winners of the competition will be given additional grants to be utilized for sanitation and hygiene related activities in schools.
- Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have been declared top three States with maximum number of schools accorded five and four Star ratings.
- UNICEF and Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) were the technical and knowledge partners with Department of School Education and Literacy.
- This year the competition will be open to Private Schools as well.
National Nutrition Week
- The National Nutrition Week will be observed throughout the country from 1st to 7th September.
- The basic objective of this annual event is to intensify awareness generation on the importance of nutrition for health.
- The Food and Nutrition Board of Ministry of Women & Child Development will coordinate with concerned Department of the State/UT Governments, National Institutions, NGOs for awareness creation.
India – EFTA pact
- Switzerland is pressing for early Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
- The agreement is expected to promote economic ties between the countries.
- EFTA comprises of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
- It is officially negotiating a free trade pact known as Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), with India since October 2008.
- Under an FTA, trading partners give market access to each other with a view to promoting bilateral trade in goods and services, besides investments.
Prakriti Khoj
- It is an environment awareness initiative by the Union Ministry of Environment.
- Under the initiative, an online environmental quiz competition will be conducted at the national level on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.
- The objective is to reach out to young minds to trigger their sensitivity towards environment protection and conservation.
- Schools under the National Green Corps (NGC) programme will get an opportunity to participate in this environmental quiz.
- NGC was initiated by Environment Ministry in 2001-02 for creating environmental awareness among children by formulating “Eco-clubs” in schools across the country.
Source: The Hindu, PIB, Business Line
