UPSC Daily Current Affairs | Prelim Bits 27-02-2021
iasparliament
February 27, 2021
E-Daakhil Portal
E-Daakhil portal for online redressal of consumer grievances is now operational in 15 States/UTs.
This portal, developed by National Informatics Centre, was launched by National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in 2020.
As provided in the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the portal empowers the consumers to file the consumer complaints and payment of requisite fees online for the redressal of their complaints.
It also facilitates the consumer commissions to scrutinize the complaints online to accept, reject or forward the complaint to the concerned commission for further processing.
To facilitate the rural consumers for e-filing, it has been decided to integrate the Common Service Centres (CSC) with the e-daakhil portal.
Chandrayaan-3
Chandrayaan-3 is likely to be launched in 2022 (earlier scheduled to be launched in late 2020).
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Chandrayaan-3 is India's third mission to Moon.
It aims to make a soft-landing in the Lunar South Pole’s Aitken basin.
It will consist of only a lander and rover, as the orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 is still functioning and providing data.
Gaganyaan
ISRO is targeting December, 2021 to launch the unmanned test mission of Gaganyaan project (earlier scheduled for December 2020).
ISRO’s Gaganyaan is India's first manned space mission.
It envisages sending three Indians to space by 2022. Four pilots have been selected for the mission and they are undergoing training in Russia.
Gaganyaan will involve Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV Mark III rocket with a modified upper stage compatible with a crew module and crew escape system.
CPI for Industrial Workers
All-India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial Workers for January, 2021 was released and it is decreased from December, 2020.
The base year for CPI for Industrial Workers is 2016 (=100).
The maximum downward pressure in current index came from Food & Beverages group contributing 0.90 percentage points to the total change.
To know more about Consumer Price Index, click here.
Index of Eight Core Industries
This index for January, 2021 was released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
These Core Industries comprise 40.27% of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Since 2014, Electricity generation data from Renewable sources are also included.
Since 2019, a new steel product called Hot Rolled Pickled and Oiled (HRPO) under the item ‘Cold Rolled (CR) coils’ within the production of finished steel has also been included.
COVAX Program
Ghana has become the first country in the world to receive a shipment of coronavirus vaccines under the COVAX program.
Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
It is led by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and others.
It wants to vaccinate roughly 20% of the population in the 92 Advance Market Commitment (AMC) countries, which include middle and lower-income nations that cannot afford to pay for COVID-19 vaccines.
This means countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than US $4000 and some other countries which are eligible under the World Bank International Development Association (IDA).
The funding is partly coming from high and middle-income countries that will also receive a share of the vaccines produced for COVAX.
Source: AIR, PIB, The Indian Express, The Hindu, Business Line, Down To Earth, Business Standard, SpaceNews
