Current Affairs 29 May 2021 – IAS Current Affairs
Current Affairs 29 May 2021 focuses on Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :
- World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day
- Jayanti New Species of Cricket
- 43rd GST Council Meet
- DBT Under Mid-day Meal Scheme
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day
Source : Down To Earth
GS II : Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate
Why in News ?
The ongoing 74th World Health Assembly declared January 30 as World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).
- The proposal to recognise the day was floated by the United Arab Emirates.
- It was adopted unanimously by the delegates.
Key Facts
- NTD generally receive less funding for research and treatment than malaises like tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS and malaria.
- Together they are responsible for more than 1 million new infections per day and 2.3 million deaths per year.
- The first World NTD Day was celebrated informally in 2020.
- WHO’s new road map for 2021–2030 calls for three strategic shifts to end NTDs:
- From measuring process to measuring impact.
- From disease-specific planning and programming to collaborative work across sectors.
- From externally driven agendas reliant to programmes that are country-owned and country-financed.
- The day will be an important opportunity to engage a wide range of partners at global, national & local level to help accelerate the end of NTDs & the suffering associated with these devastating diseases.
What are Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) ?
- NTDs are a group of infections that are most common among marginalised communities in the developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas are preventable and treatable.
- They are caused by a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa and parasitic worms.
- Some examples of NTDs include snakebite envenomation, scabies, yaws, trachoma, Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
- London Declaration : A major milestone in the movement to recognise the global burden of these diseases was adopted in 2012.
- Impact and what makes it Vulnerable
- NTDs affect more than a billion people globally, according to the WHO.
- Poverty and ecological systems continue to cause high health, social and economic consequences.
World Health Assembly
- The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO.
- The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
- The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization.
- Appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.
Jayanti New Species of Cricket
Source : Indian Express
GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Why in News ?
The new subgenus is named Jayanti after Professor Jayant Biswas, one of the leading cave explorers in the country.
Key Facts
- A new species of Cricket named Indimimus jayanti was found in the Kurra caves of Chhattisgarh.
- It is identified under the genus Arachnomimus Saussure, 1897.
- The newly discovered Cricket is different from the two subgenera, Arachnomimus and Euarachnomimus, because of the male genitalia structure.
- Crickets are noticeable for their loud calls.
- But newly found Cricket males of the new Jayanti subgenus cannot produce sound and their females don’t have ears.
Arachnomimus Saussure, 1897
- Arachnomimus is the genus name given to crickets that resembled spiders.
- Crickets of this group are commonly called spider crickets because of their smaller body size and long legs.
Why this discovery is Significant ?
- Male crickets produce this sound by rubbing their wings against each other to attract females.
- The females listen to these calls using ears located on their legs and approach the males for mating and reproduction.
- But Jayanti do not have such capabilities.
- The crickets were found on the walls of the Kurra caves which don’t have light inside.
- They may communicate with vibration sounds which can be used in hearing aids.
Crickets Spider
- Most commonly they are found in forest environments or within caves, animal burrows, cellars, under stones, or in wood or similar environments.
- Typically living in a lightless environment, or active at night, they rely heavily on their sense of touch.
43rd GST Council Meet
Source : Indian Express
GS III : Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment
Why in News ?
43rd GST Council Meet. This was the first meeting of the GST Council in the financial year 2021-22. The council’s last meeting was held in October last year.
Key Facts
- Council has decided to exempt export of relief items and is being extended till August 31, 2021
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels - The council decided to put Amphotericin B, a key medicine for the treatment of black fungus, in the list of items exempted from IGST.
- Import of Covid-related relief items, even if purchased or meant for donating to government or to any relief agency upon recommendation of state authority, to be exempted from IGST till August 31, 2021.
- Amnesty Scheme to reduced late fee returns. Small taxpayers can file pending returns under this scheme.
- Annual Return Filing will continue to be optional for 2020-21 for the small taxpayers with turnover less than Rs 2 crore.
- Reconciliation statements for 2020-21 need to be furnished by the taxpayers with a turnover of Rs 5 crore or more.
- GST compensation cess : The rough estimate is that the centre will have to borrow Rs 1.58 lakh crore and pass it on to states.
Amnesty scheme aims to provide relief to taxpayers regarding late fee for pending returns.
What is GST compensation cess ?
- GST Compensation Cess is levied by the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act 2017.
- The object of levying this cess is to compensate the states for the loss of revenue arising due to the implementation of GST on 1st July 2017 for a period of five years or such period as recommended by the GST Council.
GST Council
- As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GST Council is a joint forum of the Centre and the States.
- Members
- Union Finance Minister
- The Union Minister of State, in-charge of Revenue, Min. of Finance
- The Minister In-charge of Finance or Taxation or any other Minister nominated by each State Government
- The Council is empowered to make recommendations to the Union and the States.
- Taxes, cesses and surcharges levied by the Union, the States and the local bodies.
- Goods and services that may be subjected to, or exempted from the goods and services tax.
- Any other matter relating to the goods and services tax, as the Council may decide.
- Decision Making
- Every decision of the GST Council shall be taken at its meeting by a majority of not less than 3/4th of the weighted votes of the Members present and voting.
- Central Government shall have a weightage of 1/3rd of the votes cast.
- The votes of all the State Governments taken together shall have a weightage of 2/3rd of the total votes cast in that meeting.
- One half of the total number of members of the GST Council shall constitute the quorum at its meeting.
DBT Under Mid-day Meal Scheme
Source : Indian Express
GS II : Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
Why in News ?
Union Minister for Education approved the proposal to provide monetary assistance to 11.8 crore students (118 million students) through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of the cooking cost component of the mid-day-meal scheme, to all eligible children, as a special welfare measure.
Key Facts
- The assistance is in addition to the Government of India’s announcement of distribution of free-of-cost food grains at 5 kg per person per month to nearly 80 crore beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY).
- It will help safeguard the nutritional levels of children and aid in protecting their immunity during the challenging pandemic times.
- The central government will provide additional funds of about Rs 1200 crore.
- Apart from the central government, many state governments are also working to improve the nutritional levels of the children.
- Benefits for children studying in class 1 to 8 in the 11.20 lakh government and government aided schools across the country.
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