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All India Radio News Summary: 23 MARCH 2018

All India Radio News Summary: 23 MARCH 2018

  1. Earth Hour is being observed today(24th March) from 8:30-9:30 PM

It is a global initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature India (WWF), with a record participation of 178 countries and territories around the world.

  • Earth Hour is the world’s largest grassroots movement for the environment where citizens around the world unite to take a stand against climate change by turning off non-essential lights for one hour.
  • It is a global initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature India or WWF-India.
  • The objective of this initiative is to bring awareness among people to make it a habit that they practice green good deeds in their daily life.
  • Harmonious relationship with nature will promote sustainability on earth and help the cause of environment.

 

  1. A British Court issues search warrant for the London offices of Cambridge Analytica, communications firm at the heart of the Facebook data privacy storm

London’s High Court claims that the firm may have illegally acquired Facebook data for political ends.

  • The data watchdog is looking into claims that Cambridge Analytica, used by Donald Trump during his primary campaign, illegally mined users’ Facebook data and then used it to target potential voters.             
  • Meanwhile, the Indian Government issued a notice to Cambridge Analytica asking it to reveal the entities that have hired them in allegedly using data of Indians from the breach in Facebook database.
  • The Government is deeply concerned about such developments and is committed to ensure the protection of the fundamental right of privacy and safety and security of data for every citizen of India.

 

  1. Election Commission of India to come out with an action plan for preventing unlawful use and manipulation of voter’s data from social media. 

Background:

The issue which is in media today is that certain agencies have taken some data through facebook about voters and they used it for profiling for manipulating the electoral behaviour.

The Election Commission of India has said that it will interact with enforcement agencies and will come out with an action plan for preventing unlawful use and manipulation of voter’s data from social media.

 

  1. World Tuberculosis Day is observed on 24 March every year
  • It is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of TB and efforts to eliminate the disease.
  • President called upon all stakeholders to come together for this fight against Tuberculosis and to undertake all the necessary steps to achieve the goal of zero TB deaths.
  • The theme this year is, ‘Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world’.

While the world has set a target of 2030 for TB elimination, the India wants to become TB-free by 2025.

  • The Government has rolled out a new ‘National Strategic Plan’ to end TB by 2025.
  • The new plan adopts a multi-pronged approach which aims to detect all TB patients with an emphasis on reaching such patients.
  • Twelve thousand crore rupees have been allocated for this plan for the next three years to ensure every TB patient has access to quality diagnosis, treatment, and support.
  • TB is the leading infectious killer in India and in 2016, twenty eight lakh new cases were found with over 4 lakh people succumbing to the disease.

 

  1. Umeed scheme in J&K

In Jammu and Kashmir, the State Rural Livelihood Mission has enrolled about 2 lakh 30,000 women in its Umeed scheme, to upgrade the socio-economic status of women in the state.

  • Since the inception of the scheme in 2013, the Mission has enrolled 2 lakh 30,000 women in over 25,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs).
  • The groups are involved in various economic activities and the government is assisting them in sustaining their livelihood by providing them financial assistance, bank linkages, marketing of their products and other technical support.

 

  1. Sri Lanka has received the second advanced offshore patrol vessel from India’s shipbuilder Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL)

The largest and most advanced ship in the Sri Lankan Navy was handed over to Chief of Staff of Sri Lanka Navy.

  • The patrol vessel is the second of building two large size ships for Sri Lanka and shows one of the most significant defence cooperation between the two countries.
  • The first ship was handed over in August last year and is working very well as per Sri Lankan navy.
  • The ship is capable of conducting patrols, search and rescue operations and humanitarian assistance in Sri Lankan maritime zones.
  • This will ensure safe navigation in the Indian Ocean for which both countries have been cooperating since long.
  • Indian navy provides several training opportunities to its Sri Lankan counterpart as well as other technical assistance in the area.

 

  1. The nation has paid tributes to freedom fighters – Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev – on their martyrdom day.

On this day (March 23rd) in 1931, British rulers executed them in Lahore for revolutionary activities against the empire. They were hanged a day before the scheduled date of execution.

  • A number of programmes have been organised in Punjab and across the country to mark the day.

 

  1. Maize production in the country has seen a boom in recent years

 

  • Maize production in the country has seen a boom in recent years and this was possible due to increase in area as well as productivity.  
  • 5th India Maize Summit 2018 organised by FICCI was inaugurated.
  • The production of maize was 25.89 million tonnes in 2016-17, which is expected to cross 27 million tonnes in 2017-18.