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.
• New Players:
  • Ecuador – Top cocaine exporter.
  • Peru & Central America – Increased coca leaf cultivation.
• Global Trends:
  • Cocaine consumption rising in Europe, Latin America, and Asia.