November 2024

Download PDF
Daily Current Capsules - 01st November 2019

Geophysical phenomena
Cabinet Secretary chairs NCMC meeting to review preparedness for cyclone "MAHA" over Lakshadweep area

Relevance IN - Prelims (about cyclone MAHA and about the process of naming cyclone)
What's the NEWS
  • A meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), chaired by the Cabinet Secretary was held to review the preparations for the cyclone over the Comorin and adjoining Lakshadweep Islands.
Know! more about MAHA Cyclone
  • IMD informed that the Depression that had developed in the Comorin Sea, has now intensified into a Cyclonic storm.
  • It is likely to cross Lakshadweep Islands by the noon of 31st October 2019 as a Severe Cyclonic Storm and emerge thereafter into the east Central Arabian Sea.
  • Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1 mtr, are expected.
  • The Cyclone MAHA has been named by Oman
Know! also about Kyarr cyclone
  • Last month Cyclone Kyarr, the super cyclonic storm over the east-central Arabian Sea, and made its way to the Oman coast and has caused heavy rainfall in three states located on India's west coast - Goa, Maharashtra and the north-coastal districts in Karnataka.
  • Kyarr became the first Super Cyclone in the Arabian Sea in the past 12 years
Know! about the naming of cyclones
  • The name Kyaar was given by Myanmar.
  • In 2000, eight countries came together to assign names to the tropical cyclones that originate in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
  • It was then decided that each country will submit a set of names which will be used one by one to name the cyclones.
  • The framing of the list began in September 2004 and later 64 names, eight from each country, were finalised:
  • The cyclone after Kyarr will be named Maha, and then the one after that will be named Bulbul.
  • The basic concept behind the names was to aid the quick identification of storms, since names are easier to remember than numbers and technical terms.

Health Sector
Harsh Vardhan releases the 14thNational Health Profile, 2019

Relevance IN - Prelims (about NHP 2019) + Mains (GS II Issues relating to development and management of social Sector/Services relating to health
What's the NEWS
  • Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare released the 14thNational Health Profile (NHP)2019 & its e-book (digital version)
Know! more about NHP 2019
  • The NHP is prepared by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) and covers comprehensive information on demographic, socio-economic health status, health finance indicators, health infrastructure and health of human resources in the country.
  • This 14th edition of NHP is the continuation of the publication since 2005.
  • NHP is an important source of understanding the needs and issues of the population. It helps in understanding the goals, our strengths and weaknesses and is also an important means to strategize area specific interventions.
  • The NHP highlights substantial health information under major indicators viz. demographic indicators (population and vital statistics), socio-economic indicators (education, employment, housing and amenities, drinking water and sanitation) and health status indicators (incidence and prevalence of common communicable and non-communicable diseases and RCH) etc.
  • The health finance section provides an overview of health insurance and expenditure on health, both public and Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOP)etc.
  • The section on human resources provides an overview of availability of manpower working in the health sector, while health infrastructure section provides details of Medical and Dental Colleges, AYUSH Institutes, Nursing Courses and Paramedical Courses etc.
National Issues
Jammu and Kashmir bifurcated: India has one less state, gets two new Union Territories in J&K, Ladakh

Relevance IN - Prelims (facts related to the two new UT's) + Mains ( GS II Government policies and interventions for the development in various sectors + Functions and responsibilities of the union and states
What's the NEWS
  • Jammu and Kashmir has become a Union Territory from today and its status as a state has also ended. Now Jammu and Kashmir state is officially divided into two union territories as Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
  • It was announced in the Rajya Sabha, on August 5, to divide Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
Know! more about theses events
  • The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh will be headed by Lieutenant Governors GC Murmu and RK Mathur, respectively.
  • This is for the first time in the history of India that a state is being converted into two Union Territories. The total number of states in the country will now be 28, while the total UTs will go up to nine.
  • With this, the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ranbir Penal Code will cease to exist
  • The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, states that the appointed day for the two UTs is October 31 and these will come into existence in the midnight (Wednesday-Thursday).
  • The announcement of abrogation of the state's special status and its bifurcation was made in Rajya Sabha on August 5.
  • The UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature like Puducherry while Ladakh will be a UT without legislature like Chandigarh and both the UTs will be headed by two separate lieutenant governors (LG), as per the Act.
  • The Centre will be in direct control of the police and the law and order in Jammu and Kashmir from Thursday when it becomes a UT, while the land will be under the elected government there.
  • The UT of Ladakh will be under the direct control of the central government which will administer the high-altitude region through the LG.
Know! what will change in J&K
  • Right to Information (RTI) was not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir, which will now come into force.
  • The Right to Education (RTE) rule will also apply. At the same time, CAG which was not yet implemented will also come into force.
  • Now, Comptroller and Auditor General will be able to do the scrutiny of government expenditures.
  • Indians from other states of the country can own property and settle in J&K and Ladakh.
  • No Sharia law will restrict any women in Jammu and Kashmir. Women will be free to work and get educational degrees.
  • The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have an assembly like Puducherry, while Ladakh will be a Union Territory with no assembly on the lines of Chandigarh.
  • The centre will have direct control over the law and order and police of Jammu and Kashmir with the formation of Union Territory.

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS