BIHAR
- Patna’s air 3rd most polluted in country
- Air quality in Patna continued to deteriorate for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. The air quality index (AQI) of the city, as per a bulletin issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), surged from 402 on Tuesday to 423 on Wednesday, the third highest in the country.
- As per the guidelines of CPCB, the AQI above 400 is categorized a ‘severe’, which can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases.
- The AQI is an assessment of the air quality taking into account eight pollutants – PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 10 micron), PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 micron), nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, ammonia and lead.
- 5 has been found to be the biggest contributor in the AQI in Patna and Muzaffarpur. The main sources of PM2.5, which can reach the lung and cause damage to the respiratory system, has been found to be road dust, construction activities a vehicular emission.
INTERNATIONAL
- US announces USD 5 million reward for information on 26/11 perpetrators
- The United States has announced a 5 million dollar reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual who committed, conspired, aided or abetted the 2008 Mumbai attack.
- The move comes less than a fortnight after Vice President Mike Pence had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Singapore, during which he is believed to have himself raised this issue and ruled that even 10 years after the Mumbai terrorist attack its perpetrators have not been brought to justice.
- United States is committed to working with its international partners to identify and bring to justice those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attack.
NATIONAL
· Indian Constitution Day is observed on 26 November
- On this day in 1949, the constitution was adopted which came into force on January 26, 1950, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of India.
- On 19th November 2015, during the year-long celebration of the 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar,Government of India declared November 26th as the Constitution Day.
- Previously this day was celebrated as Law Day.
- The Constitution continues to be the nation’s guiding light on all matters connected with governance and jurisprudence. The founding fathers gave people one of the best Constitutions and made it adaptable to the Indian situation.
· Cabinet may take up agri export policy this week
- The Union Cabinet is expected to consider this week the proposed agriculture export policy, which aims at doubling outbound shipments of farm products and increasing their share in the world market.
- The proposed policy would focus on all aspects of agricultural exports including modernising infrastructure, standardisation of products, streamlining regulations, curtailing knee-jerk decisions, focusing on research and development activities, setting up of an agency in line with the European Food Safety Authority for framing, regulating and implementing rules related to both production and trade.
- The draft policy, prepared by the ministry, has suggested bringing in a stable trade policy regime, reforming the APMC (Agricultural Produce Market Committee) Act, streamlining of Mandi fee, and liberalising land leasing to double the agricultural shipments to over USD 60 billion by 2022.
- The proposed National Agriculture Export Policy would also provide an assurance that the processed agricultural products and all kinds of organic goods will not be brought under the ambit of any kind of export restriction such as imposing minimum export price, export duty and ban.
- The main commodities exported by India include tea, coffee, rice, cereals, tobacco, spices, cashew, oil meals, fruits and vegetables, marine products, meat, dairy and poultry products. Exports of value-added items are significantly low.
- India’s exports in 2017 were about USD 31 billion, which is over 2 per cent of the world agriculture trade.
- Now, app to check poll code violations
- Voters in the state up for elections – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram – can keep a check on political parties and candidates for poll code violations using a smartphone application, said chief election commissioner OP Rawat.
- With the C-Vigil application, a person can click pictures or take videos of the violations and send it to the concerned election officers.
- The application will triangulate the exact location of the complaint using longitude and latitude information. “Within 100 minutes, the complainant will be given feedback on the action taken.
- As soon as the complaint lands in the inbox of the concerned returning officer and deputy election officer, it is verified within minutes and action including lodging of FIR is taken care of.
- Kolkata leads Ease of Moving Index 2018
- Ola Mobility Institute (OMI), the research and outreach arm of Ola, released India’s first Ease of Moving Index, 2018.
- As part of report findings, Kolkata ranks the highest in terms of affordability of public transportation with 80% of commuters finding Kolkata’s public transport reasonable and affordable.
- The report was released by Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister, Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.