Current Affairs 29 September 2020 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 29 September 2020 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

1. Use Of HCNG Issued
2. Cat Que Virus Infections
3. New Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020

Use Of HCNG Issued

Why in News ? 

Step toward adopting alternative clean fuel for transportation, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has allowed Use Of HCNG Issued (18% mix of hydrogen) in CNG engines.

• H-CNG is 18% mix of hydrogen.
• The notification for amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, for the inclusion of H-CNG as an automotive fuel

What is H-CNG ?

• Hydrogen Compressed Natural Gas (H-CNG) is a mixture of compressed natural gas and 4-9 per cent hydrogen by energy.
  • It can be used as a fuel in internal combustion engine and also for home appliances.
• HCNG has the ability to reduce carbon monoxide (CO), methane, and hydrocarbon (THC) emissions compared to regular CNG being used whether as automotive fuel or in other applications.
• HCNG is essentially Compress Natural Gas which has been blended in with Hydrogen.
• Within the composition of HCNG, it consists of 18% of Hydrogen.
• This blend is also viable in the use of heavy vehicles which are powered by CNG.
• To accommodate the fuel to be used for a vehicle, minor changes and optimisations are only required for an engine already fit to run on CNG.

How Use Of H-CNG Helpful ?

• Hydrogen enriched Compressed Natural Gas (H-CNG) for automotive purposes, as a fuel is tested by Bureau of Indian Standards.
• It is a step toward an alternative clean fuel for transportation.
• Use Of HCNG Issued is being tested on larger transport vehicles as there is a pilot project going on for buses.
• CNG is widely available right nowand are used in passenger cars, too, the availability of H-CNG is limited to only trial vehicles right now.

Source : PIB

Topic

Prelims : About CNG and HCNG

GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Cat Que Virus Infections

Why in News ?

National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune researchers found antibodies for the virus in two out of the 883 human serum samples which were taken from various Indian states, indicating that people at some point contracted Cat Que Virus Infections (CQV).

• The findings of the study were published in the latest issue of the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR).

What is Cat Que Virus ?

• Presence of the Cat Que virus has been largely reported in Culex mosquitoes in China and in pigs in Vietnam.
• It was first isolated in 2004 from mosquitoes during the surveillance of arbovirus activity in northern Vietnam.
  • Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) have become a significant public health concern, with the emergence and re-emergence of arboviral diseases worldwide.
• Based on the study virus has formed a natural cycle in the local area.
  • The ability to spread in pigs and other animal populations through mosquitoes.
• CQV strain which was isolated from mosquito samples collected in China in 2006 and 2008.

About the Findings ?

• Antibody positivity was recorded in two of the 883 samples that were tested for the presence of antibodies.
• These two samples were taken from Karnataka in 2014 and 2017.
• 1020 human serum samples that showed acute febrile illness during 2014-2017 were collected.

How Cat Que Virus Infections Spread to Humans ?

• Humans can get infected through mosquitoes as well.
• Other viruses that belong to the same genus as CQV and are similarly transmitted through mosquitoes.
  • Apart from mosquitoes and pigs, birds such as the Jungle Myna may also act as a host.
  • Indian mosquito breeds such as Ae. aegypti, Cx. quinquefasciatus and Cx. Tritaeniorhynchus were susceptible to the virus.
• Probable symptoms of CQV among human beings can be paediatric encephalitis, meningitis and acute fever.

Source : Indian Express

Topic

GS II : Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

New Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020

Why in News ?

Defence Ministry has removed the offset clause requirement in Inter-Governmental Agreements (IGA) in the new Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. It came into force in October 1.

• The first defence procurement procedure was issued in 2002

New Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020

• The notification of a List of Weapons or Platforms that will be banned for import.
• DAP 2020 focuses on FDI in defence manufacturing and indigenization of the manufacturing prices.
• It done away with offset requirements for government-to-government defence deals and single-vendor contracts under a new policy.
  • The offset policy will remain in force contracts involving competitive bidding.
• Provides for allowing the three forces to take on lease military equipment, hardware and platforms like helicopters, simulators and transport planes as per operational requirements.
• Also incorporates new chapters on
  • Information and communication technologies
  • Post-contract management
  • Acquisition of systems developed by the state-run defence entities like the DRDO and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)
• Included provisions to encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) to establish manufacturing hubs both for import substitution and exports.
• Provides for single-stage accord of AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) in all cases up to Rs. 500 crore to cut delays in approval of acquisition proposals.

Under the offset policy

• The foreign defence entities for all contracts worth more than Rs 300 crore were mandated to spend at least 30 per cent of the total contract value in India through procurement of components, transfer of technologies or setting up of research and development facilities.
• Removing offset obligations for contracts under the three categories is likely to result in a reduction of cost of acquisitions as the defence firms used to factor in funds required to fulfil offset conditions.

CAG on Offset Policy

• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) came down hard on the government over poor implementation of the offset policy.
• CAG had specifically mentioned about the Rs. 59,000-crore Rafale deal and the manufacturer of the plane Dassault Aviation and weapons supplier MBDA were yet to fulfil their offset obligations of offering high technology to India.
  • The offset component in the deal was 50 per cent.

Source : The Hindu

Topic

GS II : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Current Affairs 29 September 2020 : Our major Sources for the Current Affairs are The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB, Down To Earth etc. For more queries and mentor-ship please contact us.