Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 05 January 2021

::NATIONAL::

Trifed Signs MoU with Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram for Setting up of TRIFOOD Parks in Madhya Pradesh

Continuing its mission to improve the livelihoods of the tribals(both forest dwellers and artisans) and work towards tribal empowerment, TRIFED under Ministry of Tribal Affairs has decided to explore a convergence and build a partnership with AkhilBhartiyaVanvasiKalyan Kendra, a pioneering organization that has been working for the welfare of tribals in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand since 1952. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between the two organisations on January 3, 2021 to work togetherfor setting up of TRIFOOD Parks in 5 districts in Madhya Pradesh. The MoU was signed by ShriPravir Krishna, MD, TRIFED andShriYogeshBapat, General Secretary, AkhilBhartiyaVanvasi Ashram in the presence of ShriDurga Das Uikey, Member of Parliament from Betul, Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, ShriPravir Krishna said that TRIFEDhas been actively exploring convergences with various like-minded organizations to continue our mission to improve tribal livelihoods.Engagement with VanvasiKalyan Ashram to undertake meaningful work will ensure round-the-yearincome earning opportunity for tribalsby engaging them in a variety of economic activities ranging from agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, Medicinal & Aromatic plants etc. and go beyond Minor Forest Produces.”
The two organisations will work together by undertaking various initiatives all aimed at improving the livelihood of tribal people and implementation of the Van DhanYojana through the mobilization of Self Help Groups (SHGs) / VanDhanVikas Kendra (VDVKs) / VPCs / TRIFOOD Parks. With TRIFED as the mentoring organization, it has been agreed that VanvasiKalyan Ashram would form new Van DhanKendras in tribal areas by identifying SHGs, organize training, building infrastructure, provide machinery and equipment and other support. Among other scope of activities, Kalyan Ashram will include other areas, viz agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, handlooms, crafts to keep the operations running year-long and make the VanDhan scheme all-inclusive and viable.

FSSAI slashes limit for trans-fat levels in foods

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has capped the amount of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022 from the current permissible limit of 5% through an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations.
The country’s food regulatory body notified the amendment on December 29, more than a year after it issued a draft on the subject for consultation with stakeholders.
The revised regulation applies to edible refined oils, vanaspati (partially hydrogenated oils), margarine, bakery shortenings, and other mediums of cooking such as vegetable fat spreads and mixed fat spreads.
Trans fats are associated with increased risk of heart attacks and death from coronary heart disease.
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 5.4 lakh deaths take place each year globally because of intake of industrially produced trans fatty acids.
The WHO has also called for global elimination of trans fats by 2023.
It was in 2011 that India first passed a regulation that set a TFA limit of 10% in oils and fats, which was further reduced to 5% in 2015.

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::International::

MalalaYousafzai Scholarship Act passed in America

The US Congress has passed the "MalalaYousafzai Scholarship Act" which will expand the number of scholarships available to Pakistani women to receive higher education under a merit and needs-based programme.
Passed by the House of Representatives in March 2020, the bill was passed by the United States Senate by a voice vote on January 1. The bill now heads to the White House for US President Donald Trump to sign into law.
The bill requires the US Agency for International Development to award at least 50 per cent of scholarships under a Pakistan-based higher education scholarship programme to Pakistani women, from 2020 to 2022, across a range of academic disciplines and in accordance with existing eligibility criteria.
The bill also requires USAID to consult with and leverage investments by the Pakistani private sector and Pakistanis residing in the United States to improve and expand access to education programmes in Pakistan.
::Economy::

India’s manufacturing poised to witness recovery in July-Sep: Survey

India’s manufacturing sector is poised to witness recovery in the July-September quarter, even as hiring outlook for the segment remains bleak, according to a survey. Industry body FICCI’s latest quarterly survey on manufacturing points towards recovery of the manufacturing sector in the second quarter ended September as compared to the previous quarter, with a rise in percentage of respondents reporting higher production.
The proportion of respondents reporting higher output during July-September rose to 24 per cent, as compared to 10 per cent in the previous quarter. Besides, the percentage of respondents expecting low or same production is 74 per cent in the second quarter which was 90 per cent in the first quarter of 2020-21.
However, hiring outlook for the sector, though improving slightly, shows a bleak picture as 80 per cent of the respondents mentioned that they are not likely to hire additional workforce in the next three months.
“This presents slightly improved situation in the hiring scenario as compared to the previous quarter Q-1 of 2020-21, where 85 per cent of the respondents were not in favour of hiring additional workforce,” FICCI said.

Central Economic Intelligence Bureau proposed to impose 18% GST on bitcoin trade

The government is weighing a proposal to impose 18% goods and services tax (GST) on bitcoin transactions, estimated to be around Rs 40,000 crore annually.
The Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), an arm of the finance ministry, has put forward the proposal to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), suggesting that the government could potentially receive Rs 7,200 crore annually on bitcoins trading in the country.
The CEIB acts as a think tank of the ministry and has conducted a study on levying of GST on cryptocurrencies.
CEIB has suggested that bitcoins can be categorised under ‘intangible assets’ class and a GST levy could be imposed on all transactions.
The board has suggested that the cryptocurrency can be treated as current assets and GST charged on the margins made in its trading.
The unregulated cryptocurrency exchanges and its trading has posed a bigger challenge before the government, particularly after the Supreme Court lifted a two-year ban imposed by the RBI on banks and financial institutions to deal with digital currencies.
Currently, there is no regulator for cryptocurrency and hence there is also fear of it being used for big-time money laundering and undermining of legitimate currencies.

::SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY::

40th Indian scientific expedition to Antarctica launched

The 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) departed for the South Pole from Mormugao Port, Goa with 43 members on board, January 5, 2021.
India has two stations on the polar continent of Antarctica — Maitri and Bharati — which are being operated under the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The 40th ISEA team of scientists, engineers, doctors, and technicians, is led by three polar veterans — Yogesh Ray from NCPOR, Atul Suresh Kulkarni from Indian Institute of Geomagnetism and RavindraSantosh More from India Meteorological Department.
They will have different roles and responsibilities of managing the voyage operations. Bharati base operations and Maitri base operations share a common goal of rewriting the success story of the Indian Antarctic Programme under this year’s special circumstances. Cautious steps have been taken to avoid contraction and spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on board the expedition vessel and the virus reaching Antarctica.
Highlighting the pivotal role of NCPOR in this vital mission, M Ravichandran, sirector, NCPOR said, “Polar regions are crucially important in answering key questions about global climate change, its contribution towards global sea-level rise, the background aerosol properties, variability in the sea ice cover and phenomena like Antarctic haze and ozone concentrations. Attempts to address some of these issues are helping in mitigating several important problems concerning human life and well-being.”

::SPORTS::

TeimourRadjabov wins the Airthings Masters

TeimourRadjabov clinched the Airthings Masters title, winning $60,000 and qualified for the tour final in September. In the match for third place, MaximeVachier-Lagrave bested DaniilDubov.
After winning the first set of the final Teimour needed just a draw in the second one, but LevonAronian did not go down easily. In the first see-saw game, Aronian went for a very sharp line which is refuted by the only and very hard-to-find move (21…d3). Teimour missed it and found himself in a lost position but then it was Levon’s turn to err. Teimour was winning but did not demonstrate necessary accuracy and the game was drawn.