Daily Current Affairs 20 September 2021

21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO
Why in News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated virtually in the 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and through video-message in the Joint SCO-CSTO Outreach Session on Afghanistan.
It was held on 17 September 2021 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
It was chaired by Emomali Rahmon, the President of Tajikistan.

Note: Iran became a full member of SCO during the summit. So far Iran was an observer member of the SCO.

Key Points
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address:

The Prime Minister highlighted the problems caused by growing radicalisation and extremism in the broader SCO region, which runs counter to the history of the region as a bastion of moderate and progressive cultures and values.
He noted that recent developments in Afghanistan could further exacerbate this trend towards extremism.
He suggested that SCO could work on an agenda to promote moderation and scientific and rational thought, which would be especially relevant for the youth of the region.

Joint SCO-CSTO Outreach Session on Afghanistan:

The SCO Summit was followed by an Outreach session on Afghanistan between SCO and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).
Prime Minister suggested that SCO could develop a code of conduct on 'zero tolerance towards terrorism in the region, and highlighted the risks of drugs, arms and human trafficking from Afghanistan.

Facts about SCO:

Formed: 15 June 2001

Members: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan and Iran (Newest Member).

Headquarter: Beijing, China

Source: Indian Express

15th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers Meeting
Why in News

Recently, Krishan Pal Gurjar, Union Minister of State for Power attended the 15th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers Meeting (15th EAS EMM) 2021.
It was hosted by Brunei Darussalam.

Key Points

The theme of the meeting “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”, aimed at coordinating efforts of ASEAN countries in pursuing the goal of energy security and energy transition.
India confirmed that ASEAN is a region of great importance for us. Engagement with ASEAN has been, and will remain, a critical element of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and strategy; Acting East is now a central element in India's Indo-Pacific vision.
The Minister provided a brief status of the Indian energy transition plans, policies, challenges and efforts towards decarbonisation.

About East Asia Summit (EAS):

The EAS process was initiated in 2005 with the convening of the 1st East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At its inception, the EAS comprised 16 participating countries, namely ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.
The US and Russia joined at the 6th EAS in Bali, Indonesia on 19 November 2011.

Other Related Groupings:

ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus
ASEAN Regional Forum

Source: PIB

‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’ Report: NITI Aayog
Why in News

NITI Aayog launched the report, titled ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’.

Key Points

About the Report:

The report has been developed by NITI Aayog, in consultation with concerned ministries and eminent experts in the domain of urban and regional planning.

Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity:

India is the second-largest urban system in the world with almost 11% of the total global urban population living in Indian cities.
Urban growth is expected to contribute to 73% of the total population increase by 2036.
Over 75% of the urban population is in 10 States: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Kerala.
Urban planning is the foundation for the integrated development of cities, citizens, and the environment. Unfortunately, it has received due attention so far.
Report’s main recommendation: Programmatic Intervention for Planning of Healthy Cities: Every city must aspire to become a ‘Healthy City for All’ by 2030. The report recommends a Central Sector Scheme ‘500 Healthy Cities Programme’, for a period of 5 years, wherein priority cities and towns would be selected jointly by the states and local bodies.

Schemes/Programmes Related to Urban Development:

AMRUT Mission
Smart Cities
Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban
The National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)

Source: PIB

Crime in India Report 2020: NCRB

Why in News

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has released the 68^th edition of Crime in India Report 2020.

Key Points

Findings of the Report:

Communal riots:

Communal riots registered an increase of 96% in 2020 over the previous year (2019).
Delhi Police alone registered the highest 520 cases of communal riots in 2020.
Uttar Pradesh did not record a single case of communal violence in 2020.

Caste riots:

Caste riots saw an increase of close to 50%, agrarian riots 38% and riots during ‘andolan/morcha’ increased by 33%.
Cases of caste conflict increased from 492 in 2019 to 736 in 2020. Bihar recorded the highest number in this category at 208.

Traditional Crimes:

While 2020 — a year marked by months of a national lockdown due to the pandemic — saw fewer “traditional crimes” such as those committed against women and children, among others, it witnessed a big spike in civil conflicts.
The number of cases registered for crimes against women, children and senior citizens, theft, burglary, robbery and dacoity, among others, dropped by about 2 lakh.
Murder registered a marginal increase of 1% even as offences falling under the “violent crimes” category decreased by 0.5%.

Offences against the State:

The year also saw a significant drop in cases related to ‘Offences against the State’, with a drop of 27% over 2019.
Uttar Pradesh, however, was the only major state to record an increase in this category, mostly due to the large number of ‘Damage to Public Property’ cases registered by the state, many of them during the anti- CAA protests.
It includes cases related to sedition and waging war against the nation, those falling under provisions of the Official Secrets Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Damage to Public Property Act.

Source: Indian Express

Climate change can force 216 million people to migrate within their own countries by 2050

Why in News

The World Bank’s updated Groundswell report released recently finds Climate change can force some 216 million people in 6 world regions to move within their own countries by 2050.
Hotspots of internal climate migration can emerge as early as 2030 and continue to spread and intensify by 2050.

Key Points

About the Report:

The updated report includes projections and analysis for 3 regions: East Asia and the Pacific, North Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
It builds on the pioneering modelling approach of the previous World Bank Groundswell report from 2018, which covered Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

Findings:

By 2050, Sub-Saharan Africa could see as many as 86 million internal climate migrants; East Asia and the Pacific, 49 million; South Asia, 40 million; North Africa, 19 million; Latin America, 17 million; and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, 5 million.
The report finds that immediate and concerted action to reduce global emissions, and support green, inclusive, and resilient development, could reduce the scale of climate migration by as much as 80 percent.

Global Efforts:

Cancun Adaptation Framework, 2010
UNFCCC Task Force on Displacement, 2013
Paris Agreement, 2015
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015-30
UN Global Compact on Refugees, 2016

Source: DownToEarth

Kaushalacharya Awards 2021

Union Education Minister and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan presented Kaushalacharya Awards 2021 to 41 skill trainers for their exemplary contribution to the skill ecosystem.
These 41 trainers are from several initiatives and training programmes of Skill India— Directorate General of Training (DGT), Apprenticeship, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) and Entrepreneurship.

Source: PIB

Earthshot Prize 2021

Why in News

Two Indian Projects have been selected to get the first-ever Earth shot Prize 2021.

Key Points

Vinisha Umashankar, a 14-year-old Tamil Nadu schoolgirl’s solar-powered ironing cart project and Vidyut Mohan (Co-founder of Takachar), a Delhi entrepreneur’s agricultural waste recycling concept were named among 15 finalists for the first-ever Earth shot Prize 2021.

About Earth shot Prize:

It is a prize awarded annually from 2021 to 2030, to five winners each year whose solutions substantially help the environment.
The Prize is given by the Royal Foundation, headquartered in London, England.
The Earth shot Prize was launched in 2020 by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and David Attenborough, with the support of a broad range of individuals and organizations dedicated to climate action.

Source: Indian Express

Noted litterateur Manorama Mohapatra passes away

Eminent litterateur, social worker and former editor of Odia daily 'The Samaja' Manorama Mohapatra passed away at 87.
Mohapatra has more than 40 books and novels to her credit.
She was honoured with Sahitya Akademi Award in 1984, Soviet Nehru Award in 1988, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar Samman in 1991, Utkal Sahitya Samaj Award, Gangadhar Meher Samman, Sarala Award and Sucharita Award etc.
For her immense contribution to the field of literature, she was appointed as secretary of Utkal Sahitya Samaj from 1982 to 1990 and President of Odisha Sahitya Akademi in 1991, the first woman to hold this post, till 1994.

Source: Indian Express