Daily Current Affairs – 09th Feb. 2021

Given below are the daily current affairs for 09th Feb. 2021. You can take the daily current affairs quiz here for free.

New labour codes to allow four-day work week

What’s in News?

Draft rules under the labour codes are being finalized.

• The new labour codes set to be implemented would allow the companies to:
  • Provide flexibility in reducing the number of working days to four days a week.
  • Provide free medical check-ups to workers through the Employees State Insurance Corporation.
• Concerns about the working hours going up from 10.5 hours to 12 hours, with one hour of rest, arose during consultations. This has been addressed.
  • Under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 draft rules, the limit of working hours for a week were 48 hours.
  • It is said that this limit is sacrosanct and the employers and workers would have to agree to a change in working days and it cannot be forced.

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme

Context:

Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has been approved for the period of next four years starting from 2021-22.

About Startup India Seed Fund Scheme:

• The Scheme aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization.
• It will be implemented with effect from 1st April 2021.
• A Rs. 945 Crore corpus will be divided over the next 4 years for providing seed funding to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India.
• The scheme is expected to support about 3600 startups.
• The implementing body of the scheme is the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• These 3,600 entrepreneurs will represent DPIIT-registered startups across sectors and incorporated not more than two years ago at the time of applying for the scheme.
• The selected startups will be offered up to Rs 20 lakhs as a grant for proof of concept and up to Rs 50 lakhs through convertible debentures or debt or debt-linked instruments for commercialization of the product.
• Startups selected under the scheme would preferably be from sectors including social impact, waste management, water management, financial inclusion, education, agriculture, food processing, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, mobility, Defence, space, railways, oil and gas, textiles, etc.

Assam Chah Bagichar Dhan Puraskar Mela Scheme

Context:

The third phase of Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar mela is set to be held in Guwahati was held recently.

About the Scheme:

• Started by the Assam government in the year 2017- 18.
• Launched to encourage people to open bank accounts in tea garden areas.
• Under this scheme, the workers of the tea community will receive Rs. 2500 in their bank accounts.

Eligibility:

1. Residents of Assam and who work on tea gardens.
2. Women belonging to BPL category.

Tea production in India:

India accounts for 14% of global tea exports and nearly 20% of the tea produced in the country is exported, according to Tea Board India.

India is:

1. The largest consumer of tea in the world.
2. The second largest producer of tea in the world.
3. The fourth largest exporter of tea in the world.

Places where tea is grown in India:

Tea cultivation and plantation is practiced in Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiri Hills of South India and Tarai along the foothills of the Himalayas.

Conditions of Growth:

• Climate: Tea is a tropical and sub-tropical plant and grows well in hot and humid climate.
• Temperature: 20°-30°C.
• Rainfall: 150-300 cm annual rainfall.
• Soil: Slightly acidic soil with porous sub-soil which permits a free percolation of water.

Panel slams DoT for delay in 5G trials

Context:

A Parliamentary Panel has said that sufficient preparatory work had not been undertaken for introducing 5G services in India.

Details:

• The panel slammed the government for its ‘laid-back approach’ and delay in conducting 5G trials.
• It highlighted that the 5G trials have not yet been permitted.
• The committee condemned the Department of Telecom’s unconscionably long delay in auctioning of spectrum.
• The committee was of the view that the issue of allocating the right amount of spectrum as demanded by the industry needed to be addressed if India were to realise the benefits of 5G.

Factors coming in the way of a 5G services roll-out in India:

• Inadequate availability of spectrum
• High spectrum prices
• Poor development of use cases
• Low status of fiberisation
• Non-uniform right-of-way issues
• Deficient backhaul capacity

Recommendations and Way Forward:

• It suggested that time-bound action be taken in areas where governmental intervention was required.
• It recommends that spectrum auction including auctioning of 3300 MHz to 3600 MHz be conducted at the earliest.
• It recommends that the DoT needs to have fruitful deliberation with the Department of Space and Ministry of Defence and an understanding must be reached for identification of adequate spectrum for 5G services.

Sri Lanka clears Chinese energy project, 50 km off Tamil Nadu

Context:

Sri Lanka cleared a Chinese energy project in three islands off Jaffna peninsula that are barely 50 km from the Tamil Nadu coast.

Details:

• Sri Lanka recently decided to pull out of the East Container Terminal (ECT) deal with India and Japan.
  • This is not the only challenge to New Delhi’s interests
• Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved a proposal to involve Sinosoar-Etechwin Joint Venture in China to install ‘hybrid renewable energy systems’ in Nainativu, Delft or Neduntheevu, and Analaitivu, located in the Palk Bay.
  • The islands are connected to the Jaffna peninsula by a limited ferry service, managed mostly by the Sri Lankan Navy.
• Concerns have been raised on the project site’s proximity to the Indian coastline.
  • Delft Island is one of the closest points to India from northern Sri Lanka.
• Sri Lanka’s former High Commissioner to India said the Sri Lankan government cannot be blamed for this decision, because the project is backed by the Asian Development Bank, which has its own procurement guidelines that should be followed by the borrower.

U.S. to rejoin UN human rights forum

Context:

The U.S. announced plans to reengage with the UN Human Rights Council that former President Donald Trump withdrew from almost three years ago.

Details:

• United States of America walked out of the United Nations Humans Rights Council (UNHRC) citing the reason that human rights violators continue to serve on the council and its continued bias in the Israel and Palestine issue.
• President Joe Biden’s administration is taking measures to reverse the Trump-era decisions to move away from multilateral organizations and agreements.

HAL LUH

Context:

HAL LUH (Army Variant) receives Initial Operational Clearance.

About HAL LUH:

• The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for the Indian Army from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).
• The LUH is a three-ton class new generation single engine helicopter indigenously designed and developed by Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre of HAL with features suitable for operations in the diverse operating conditions unique to India.
• The LUH will replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah/Chetak helicopters operated by the Services.
• The LUH is powered by a single turbo shaft engine Ardiden 1U (from France) with adequate power margins to accomplish high altitude missions in Himalayas with ease.
• The LUH is equipped with Smart Cockpit Display System (Glass Cockpit), state-of-the-art HUMS (Health & Usage Monitoring System) and is designed for various utility and armed roles.

Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk III

Context:

HAL hands over five ALHs Mk III to Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.

About ALH Mk III:

• The ALH Mk III or the Mark III Advanced Light Helicopter is meant for coastal security.
• The helicopter features a full glass cockpit with HAL’s Integrated Architecture Display System (IADS), more powerful “Shakti” (Safran Ardiden 1H1) engines, and a host of new systems.
• It is fully loaded, multi-mission and fitted with an array of advanced sensors.
• These helicopters have come up with latest-generation avionics and role equipment.
• It is primarily meant for use in a shore-based role.
• The Mk-III ALH are also equipped with an indigenous low frequency dunking sonar (LFDS) developed by Kochi-based Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory.
• The aircraft has also a nose-mounted surveillance radar with 270-degree coverage that can detect, classify and track multiple marine targets.
• It also has synthetic-aperture radar, inverse synthetic-aperture radar, and moving target indication classification functions.