What's the NEWS

• Joint Military Exercise KAZIND-2019 between India and Kazakhstan will be conducted at Pithoragarh from 02 to 15 October 2019.
• The exercise will comprise of nearly 100 soldiers from both Indian and Kazakhstan Army who would be sharing their experience gained during conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations in the past.

• Exercise KAZIND-2019 is the fourth edition of an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Kazakhstan and India.
• The aim of this exercise is to conduct company level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorism operations in mountainous terrain.
• During the exercise, aspects of emerging trends of global terrorism and hybrid warfare have also been included.
• The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation further fostering bilateral relations between the two nations.

• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, GoI launched the 10 Year Rural Sanitation Strategy (2019-2029), which focus on sustaining the sanitation Behaviour change that has been achieved under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G), ensuring that no one is left behind, and increasing access to solid and liquid waste management.

Know! the statics of SBM - G

• Since the launch of the SBM-G in 2014, over 10 crore toilets have been built in rural areas; over 5.9 lakh villages, 699 districts, and 35 States/UTs have declared themselves Open Defecation Free (ODF).
• This strategy has been prepared by DDWS, in consultation with State Governments and other stakeholders, and it lays down a framework to guide local governments, policy makers, implementers and other relevant stakeholders in their planning for ODF Plus, where everyone uses a toilet, and every village has access to solid and liquid waste management.
• The 10 year strategy focuses on the need for States/UTs to continue their efforts to sustain the gains of the mission through capacity strengthening, IEC (Information, education and communication), organic waste management, plastic waste management, grey water management and black water management.

Science and Technology
DRDO and Central University of Jammu sign MoU to set up Kalam Centre for Science and Technology
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the MoU signed) + Mains ( GS III Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

What's the NEWS

• The Central University of Jammu has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence for the establishment of Kalam Centre for Science and Technology (KCST).

Know! about the MoU

• The MoU has been inked to facilitate and undertake multidisciplinary directed basic and applied research and technology development in computational system security and sensors.
• KCST will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment leading to increase in research scholars in these areas.
• The high-end research centre will promote quality research which in long run will create a pool of scientists from this region.

Miscellaneous Factoids
India rises 4 places to 44th rank in world digital competitiveness rankings
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about digital competitiveness ranking)

What's the NEWS

• India has advanced four places to 44th position in terms of digital competitiveness in the world as the country has made improvement in terms of knowledge and future readiness to adopt and explore digital technologies, according to a global report.

Know! more about the report and its findings

• India rose from 48th place in 2018 to 44th rank this year as the country has improved overall in all factors -- knowledge, technology and future readiness -- as compared to the previous year's ranking.
• India advanced four places to 44th position in 2019, with the biggest improvement in the technology sub-factor level, holding first position in telecommunications investment," according to the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019 (WDCR).
• The US was ranked as the world's most digitally competitive economy, followed by Singapore in the second place.
• Sweden was ranked third on the list, followed by Denmark and Switzerland in the 4th and 5th place, respectively.
• The largest jump in the overall ranking was registered by China, moving from 30th to 22nd, and Indonesia, from 62nd to 56th.
• The Ranking, produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center, measures the capacity and readiness of 63 nations to adopt and explore digital technologies as a key driver for economic transformation in business, government and wider society.

India's Foreign Policy
Prime Minister met with the leaders of CARICOM at the UNGA
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about CARICOM) + Mains ( GS II Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests
What's the NEWS

• India's historic and warm relations with the countries of the Caribbean witnessed a new momentum with the meeting of PM Modi with 14 leaders of the CARICOM group of countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 2019
  
  
• It was the first-ever meeting of PM Modi with CARICOM leaders in a regional format and highlighted the steadily intensifying and deepening relations between India and partner countries of the Caribbean, not only in the bilateral, but also in the regional context.
• PM Modi reiterated India's firm commitment to strengthen its political, economic and cultural engagement with CARICOM.

Know! about CARICOM
       

• The Caribbean Community (CARICOM or CC) is an organisation of fifteen Caribbean nations and dependencies having primary objectives to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, to ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and to coordinate foreign policy.
• The organisation was established in 1973. Its major activities involve coordinating economic policies and development planning; devising and instituting special projects for the less-developed countries within its jurisdiction; operating as a regional single market for many of its members (Caricom Single Market); and handling regional trade disputes.
• The secretariat headquarters is in Georgetown, Guyana. CARICOM is an official United Nations Observer.

Human Resource Development
India to host the second edition of joint international hackathon ‘Singapore India Hackathon 2019
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the joint international hackathon) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)

What's the NEWS

• India will hold the second edition of joint hackathon with Singapore, the ‘Singapore India Hackathon 2019' at IIT Madras on Sep 28 and 29, 2019.
• The Singapore India Hackathon, an initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is the first of its kind joint International hackathon between India and any other country.

Know! more about the Hackathon

• The aim of this joint international hackathon is to promote engagement and collaboration of student community in India with the rest of the world and to develop innovative and out- of -the- box solutions for some of the daunting problems faced by our societies.
• During the non-stop, fast-paced 36 hours Singapore India Hackathon, the students will develop creative and innovative solutions focused on the themes.
• The 1st edition of the Singapore India Hackathon was held at NTU, Singapore in November, 2018, based on the theme ‘Smart Campus'.
• This year the hackathon is focused on three themes, ‘Good Health and well-being', ‘Quality Education' and ‘Affordable and Clean Energy'.
• Singapore India Hackathon 2019 has 20 teams and for the first time each participating team would comprise of 3 students from India and 3 students from Singapore, thereby paving the way for exchange of culture and ideas.

Know! the highlights of Smart India Hackathon 2019

• 20 teams with 6 team members each (3 members from India and 3 members from Singapore) to participate.
• Each team to have 2 mentors (1 from India and 1 from Singapore)
• The hackathon will be focused on 5 problem statements under 3 broad themes - Good health and well-being, Quality Education, Affordable and clean energy
• Top 4 teams will win prizes ($10,000, $8,000, $6,000 and $4,000 respectively) from the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi, along with 6 more teams with Encouragement prizes ($2,000 per team)

Election Commission
Voluntary Code of Ethics by Social Media Platforms to be observed in the General Elections
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the Voluntary Code of Ethics ) + Mains ( GS II Salient features of the Representation of People's Act )
What's the NEWS

• Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on behalf of its members has agreed to observe the "Voluntary Code of Ethics" during all future elections including the ongoing General Elections to the Haryana & Maharashtra legislative assemblies
• IAMAI and social media platforms Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Google, Sharechat and TikTok had presented and observed this "Voluntary Code of Ethics" during the General Election to 17thLok Sabha 2019.
• IAMAI has assured the Commission that the platforms will cooperate in ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections.

The highlighted features of "Voluntary Code of Ethics" are as follows:

• Social Media platforms will voluntarily undertake information, education and communication campaigns to build awareness including electoral laws and other related instructions.
• Social Media platforms have created a high priority dedicated grievance redressal channel for taking expeditions action on the cases reported by the ECI.
• Social Media Platforms and ECI have developed a notification mechanism by this ECI can notify the relevant platforms of potential violations of Section 126 of the R.P. Act, 1951 and other electoral laws.
• Platforms will ensure that all political advertisements on their platforms are pre-certified from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committees as per the directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court.
• Participating platforms are committed to facilitate transparency in paid political advertisements, including utilising their pre-existing labels/disclosure technology for such advertisements.

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