Environment
Crop burning raises risk of respiratory illness threefold, says IFPRI study

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the findings of the survey and IFPRI) + Mains ( GS environment conservation)

What's the NEWS
• The burning of agricultural residue - a contributor to north India's winter pollution - increases the risk of respiratory illnesses threefold for those who experience it.

• It may also be responsible for an annual $30 billion (approximately ₹2 trillion) loss in terms of days of work lost in States affected by crop burning, according to a study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Know! about the findings
• The findings were based on a study of the health records of 250,000 people in Haryana (which sees a spike in crop burning episodes in winter), and Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which don't see similar burning episodes.

• The researchers used health records and satellite data from September 2013-February 2014.

• The satellite data was for crop-burning fires detected by the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra satellite, managed by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA).

• In Haryana, 5.4% of surveyed individuals reported suffering from ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection) whereas the reported ARI symptoms in southern States was only 0.1%.
• In 2013, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a directive to Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, asking them to ban stubble burning.

Know! about The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
• IFPRI is an international agricultural research center founded in the early 1970s to improve the understanding of national agricultural and food policies to promote the adoption of innovations in agricultural technology.

• Additionally, IFPRI was meant to shed more light on the role of agricultural and rural development in the broader development pathway of a country.
• The mission of IFPRI is to provide research-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition.

• IFPRI carries out food policy research and disseminates it through hundreds of publications, bulletins, conferences, and other initiatives.

• IFPRI was organized as a District of Columbia non-profit, non-stock corporation on March 5, 1975, and its first research bulletin was produced in February 1976
• IFPRI has offices in several developing countries, including China, Ethiopia, and India, and has research staff working in many more countries around the world.

India to tie-up with 4 nations to save rhinos

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about rhinos) + Mains ( GS environment conservation)

What's the NEWS
• India will collaborate with Bhutan, Nepal, Indonesia and Malaysia to increase the population of three species of Asian rhinos, including the Greater one-horned rhinoceros found in the Indian sub-continent.
Know! more about the declaration
• The five rhino range nations signed a declaration ‘The Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019' for the conservation and protection of the species at the recently held Second Asian Rhino Range Countries meeting here.

• The declaration was signed to conserve and review the population of the Greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran rhinos every four years to reassess the need for joint actions to secure their future.
• The national strategy will pave the path for long-term conservation of the Greater one-horned rhinos in India

• The declaration includes undertaking studies on health issues of the rhinos, their potential diseases and taking necessary steps; collaborating and strengthening wildlife forensics and strengthening of transboundary collaboration among India, Nepal and Bhutan for conservation of the Greater one-horned rhino.

World Wildlife Day 2019
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about world wildlife day)

What's the NEWS
• The World Wildlife day was observed on March 3rd with the theme ‘Life below water: for people and planet.'
Objectives
• To provide an opportunity to celebrate the beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora.
• To raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that conservation provides to people.

• To remind the world of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have a wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impact.
• The theme of World Wildlife Day 2019 ‘Life below water: for people and planet' complements the Goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG14) aims to "conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development."

• Sustainable Development Goal #15 - Halting biodiversity loss.

Know! about the inception
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on its 68th session on 20 December 2013 decided to proclaim 3rd March as World Wildlife Day.

• March 3rd is the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Factoids

What's the NEWS
• The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) created a new Guinness World Record for the longest single moving line bicycle parade at the Yamuna Expressway.

• The world record was attempted to commemorate the 50 years of the paramilitary force CISF.
Know! about Central Industrial Security Force
• The CISF came into existence in 1969 with a modest three battalions, to provide integrated security cover to the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) which had occupied the commanding heights of the economy in those days.

• In a span of five decades, the Force has grown several folds to reach one lakh forty-eight thousand and three hundred seventy-one personnel.

• CISF is no longer a PSU-centric organization. Instead, it now a premier multi-skilled security agency of the country, mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country in diverse areas.

• CISF is currently providing security cover to nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive Government buildings heritage monuments and even Private entities.

Economic Development
PSBloansin59minutes.com

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about MSME reforms) + Mains( GS III economic development)

What's the NEWS
• PSBloansin59minutes.com which was launched in 2018 has emerged as the country's largest online lending platform, with loan sanctions exceeding over Rs 35,000 crore.

• The portal provides credit up to Rs 1 crore to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in just 59 minutes or less than an hour.

Know! more about the benefits of the portal

• The online portal has reduced the turnaround time from 20-25 days to 59 minutes and upon approval, the loan is disbursed in 7-8 working days.

• The automated loan processing system together with ease has helped in fostering transparency.

• The online portal has aided in eliminating the discretion at the bankers' end, as in-principle approval of loans does not require human intervention.

• Through the Portal, the MSMEs apply for a loan using their GST registration as the portal is integrated with GST server at the back-end as well as IT, credit bureaus and banks.

National
One Nation One Card

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the features of the card)

What's the NEWS
• PM Modi launched "One Nation One Card" in Ahmedabad, which can be used for paying for travel on any mode of transportation.
Know! more about the card
• Roll-out of the card and a new feature in all credit and debit cards issued by banks will enable people to use them either in PoS machines deployed at ticket counters or just use them like Metro Rail smart cards to enter a platform.

• All new credit and debit cards issued by most banks have the National Common Mobility Card feature to make payments for their travel. This is like any other wallet
• Delhi Metro has started a pilot run of indigenously designed automatic fare collection counters (AFCs) that can read these cards for seamless entry and exit at stations.

• All new Metro rail networks would get these new AFCs, existing networks will gradually replace the operational ones.

• India was one of the few countries with indigenous technology for AFCs and the mass rollout would reduce their prices significantly.
• Till now, India was dependent on foreign technology players for this and they were charging high royalty, which was the reason for the products being expensive.

Prelims Practise Question

Consider the following statements

1. IFPRI is an international agricultural research center founded in India to improve the understanding of national agricultural and food policies to promote the adoption of innovations in agricultural technology.

2. The mission of IFPRI is to provide research-based policy solutions that sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition.

3. The five rhino range nations Indian, Bhutan , Nepal , Indonesia and Myanmar signed a declaration ‘The Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019' for the conservation and protection of the species at the recently held Second Asian Rhino Range Countries

Find the correct statement from the options given below
a. 1 and 2
b. 2 and 3
c. 1 2 and 3
d. None

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