Daily Current Affairs
To The Point Notes
Polity
1.Common Services Centres (CSCs)
- Celebrated establishment day on July 16.
- Provide G2C e-Services to citizens in rural areas.
- Reduce need to visit government offices.
- Initiative by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Structure:
- PPP model with 3 tiers:
- Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) – CSC operator
- Service Centre Agency (SCA) – Manages 500-1000 CSCs
- State Designated Agency (SDA) – Oversees entire state implementation
CSC 2.0 (2015):
- Aims for at least one CSC in all 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats.
Significance:
- Promote rural enterprise and digital inclusion.
- Provide digital literacy, tele-medicine, insurance, legal aid, skill development.
Science and Technology
2.Cold Fusion Technology
HYLENR (Hyderabad Startup)
- Demonstrated clean energy generation using cold fusion technology.
HYLENR’s Reactors:
- Low Energy Nuclear Reactors (LENR) use minimal hydrogen and electricity to trigger fusion and generate excess heat.
Applications of Heat Produced:
- Space heating (MMRTG)
- Steam generation (various applications)
- Room heating (cold regions)
- Induction heating (domestic & industrial)
Nuclear Fusion:
- Combines light atomic nuclei to form a heavier one, releasing significant energy.
- Powers stars like our sun.
- Common reaction: Hydrogen isotopes (deuterium & tritium) fuse into helium, releasing a neutron and substantial energy.
Health
3.U-Win Portal (August 2024 Launch)
- Target: Maintain electronic registry of routine immunizations in India.
- Successor to: Co-WIN (Covid-19 vaccine management system)
- Part of: Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) under National Health Mission (NHM)
- Target Population:
- 2.9 crore pregnant women annually
- 2.6 crore infants (0-1 years) annually
- Vaccines Offered:
- Nationally (11): Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, Tuberculosis, Rotavirus Diarrhoea, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, Pneumonia
- Sub-Nationally (1): Japanese Encephalitis (endemic districts)
- Key Features:
- Immunization Cards: Linked to ABHA ID for pregnant women and children.
- Digital Vaccination Certificate: QR-based, verifiable, similar to Covid certificate.
- Universal Coverage: Captures all vaccination events under UIP.
- Real-Time Updates: Tracks vaccination status, delivery outcomes, session planning.
- Individual Tracking: Digital registration with reminders for doses and follow-ups.
Security
4.Operation Nanhe Farishte by RPF
- Launched in 2018 (approx) by the Railway Protection Force (RPF)
- Mission: Rescue children in need of care and protection across Indian Railways.
- Success: Over 84,119 children rescued in 7 years (by May 2024)
RPF – The Force Behind Nanhe Farishte
- Established in 1957
- Motto: “Yasho Labhasva” – “Attain Glory”
- Known for innovative ground-level security solutions
- Highest share of women personnel among federal forces in India
Other RPF Initiatives
- Countering Human Trafficking (Operation AAHT)
- Passenger Safety (Operation Jeevan Raksha, Meri Saheli)
- Anti-Tout Activities (Operation Uplabdh)
- Curbing Drug Trafficking (Operation NARCOS)
- Emergency Response (Operation Yatri Suraksha)
- Seizing Illegal Goods (Operation Satark)
IR
5.Peace Deal and Colombia’s Cocaine Industry
- Colombia: World’s leading producer of cocaine (despite peace deal).
- Peace Deal Impact (unintended consequence):
- FARC (rebel group) exit from cocaine trade led to:
- Increased competition from other countries.
- Rise in global cocaine production.
- FARC (rebel group) exit from cocaine trade led to:
- New Players:
- Ecuador – Top cocaine exporter.
- Peru & Central America – Increased coca leaf cultivation.
- Global Trends:
- Cocaine consumption rising in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.