KARTHIKEYA IAS ACADEMY BRANCH 1: KURMANNAPALEM, NAIDU COMPLEX BRANCH 2: CMA BHAVAN, SECTOR 6, STEEL PLANT

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1 UNESCO Global Geopark tag Geological Survey of India has chosen heritage locations in Maharashtra and Karnataka for UNESCO Global Geopark Network status. The Geopark tag is akin to that of a World Heritage Site for historical monuments that can bring India s famed geological features to the global stage. Lonar Lake in Maharashtra and St. Mary s Island and Malpe beach in coastal Karnataka are the GSI nominated sites for UNESCO Global Geopark Network status. Global Geopark: UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development. Their bottom-up approach of combining conservation with sustainable development while involving local communities is becoming increasingly popular. At present, there are 140 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 38 countries. An aspiring Global Geopark must have a dedicated website, a corporate identity, comprehensive management plan, protection plans, finance, and partnerships for it to be accepted. Once a UNESCO Global Geopark is not always a UNESCO Global Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark is given this designation for a period of four years after which the functioning and quality of each UNESCO Global Geopark is thoroughly re-examined during a revalidation process. As part of the revalidation process, the UNESCO Global Geopark under review has to prepare a progress report and a field mission will be undertaken by two evaluators to revalidate the quality of the UNESCO Global Geopark. If, on the basis of the field evaluation report, the UNESCO Global Geopark continues to fulfil the criteria the area will continue as a UNESCO Global Geopark for a further four-year period (so-called green card ). If the area no longer fulfils the criteria, the management body will be informed to take appropriate steps within a two-year period (so-called yellow card ). Should the UNESCO Global Geopark not fulfil the criteria within two years after receiving a yellow card, the area will lose its status as a UNESCO Global Geopark (so-called red card ) Global Geoparks Network: The Global Geoparks Network (GGN), of which membership is obligatory for UNESCO Global Geoparks, is a legally constituted not-for-profit organisation with an annual membership fee. The GGN was founded in 2004 and is a dynamic network where members are committed to work together and exchange ideas of best practise and join in common projects to raise the quality standards of all products and practises of a UNESCO Global Geopark. While the GGN as a whole comes together every two years, it functions through the operation of regional networks, such as the European Geoparks Network that meets twice a year to develop and promote joint activities. CIVILS/GROUPS/BANKS ,

2 Q. which among the following sites in India have been chosen for UNESCO Global Geopark Tag? 1) Lonar Lake in Maharashtra 2) St. Mary s Island in Karnataka 3) Pulicat lake in Andhra Pradesh Choose the right option from the given below codes: a) Only 1 and 2 b) Only 2 and 3 c) None of the above d) All of the above Currently, there are no sites in India which possess the Tag. Lonar Lake in Maharashtra and St. Mary s Island and Malpe beach in coastal Karnataka have been nominated by Geographical Survey of India for the candidature for UNESCO Global Geopark Network status. UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development. IBSAMAR VI 2018: held in South Africa The sixth edition of IBSAMAR, a joint Multi National Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies, is being held at Simons Town, South Africa. The exercise includes both harbour and sea phases with various navigation and seamanship evolutions, surface weapons firing, force protection exercises, antipiracy exercise, anti-air and antisubmarine exercise as well as flying operations. IBSAMAR CIVILS/GROUPS/BANKS ,

3 IBSAMAR are a series of naval exercises between the navies of India, Brazil, and South Africa. The aim of the exercise is to undertake collective training for participating navies, building interoperability and mutual understanding as well as sharing of best practices. The first exercise took place in Q. The IBSAMAR-VI is a joint multi- national Naval Exercise between which of the following group of countries? a) India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka b) India, Bangladesh, Singapore c) India, Brazil, South Africa d) India, Bangladesh, South Africa IBSAMAR is a joint naval exercise between the navies of Indian, Brazilian and South African The sixth edition of this exercise will be held at Simons Town, South Africa from 1st to 13th October Canada and US reach trade deal to replace NAFTA After more than a year of intense negotiation, the U.S., Canada and Mexico managed to arrive at a revised trade agreement on Sunday to replace the quarter-century-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) The deal does not do anything new to promote the cause of free trade among the North American nations but it achieves the objective of averting any significant damage to the international trade system Details of the new deal The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) makes several changes to NAFTA There are tweaks to production quotas applied to Canada s dairy industry CIVILS/GROUPS/BANKS ,

4 Under the new deal, Canada will have to allow American dairy producers to compete against locals, a move that will favour Canadian consumers The U.S. agreed to retain Chapter 19 and Chapter 20 dispute-settlement mechanisms as a compromise This will help Canada and Mexico deal with protectionist duties imposed by the U.S. Unlike other free trade deals entered into by governments, the present one attempts to micromanage trade in a way that benefits specific interest groups at the cost of the overall economy The new labour regulations and rules of origin will add to the cost of production of goods such as cars, thus making them uncompetitive in the global market The USMCA mandates a minimum wage that is above the market wage on labour employed in Mexico, yet another move that will make North America a tough place to do business Foreign investors may now have fewer protections from unfriendly local laws as the accord does away with resolutions through multilateral dispute panels for certain sectors Q. Consider the following statements about NAFTA 1) NAFTA agreement eliminates barriers to trade and investment between the U.S., Canada and Mexico which was implemented on January 1, ) NAFTA established the CANAMEX Corridor for road transport between Canada and Mexico. Which of the following above statements are correct? a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both 1 and 2 d) None of the above The North American Free Trade Agreement, known usually as NAFTA, is a free trade agreement among Canada, the United States, and Mexico. NAFTA went into effect on January 1, NAFTA is also used to refer to the tripartite trading bloc of North American countries. The CANAMEX corridor is a series of improvements to freeways and other transportation infrastructure linking Canada to Mexico through the United States. The corridor was established under the North American Free Trade Agreement. Currently the corridor is defined by a series of highways. However, the corridor is also proposed for use by railroads and fiber optic telecommunications infrastructure. Unlike other Free Trade Agreements in the world, NAFTA is more comprehensive in its scope and was complemented by the North American Agreement for Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) and the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC). CIVILS/GROUPS/BANKS ,

5 KARTHIKEYA IAS ACADEMY Odisha has launched its own State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) Odisha Government has launched State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) to benefit the 25 lakh poor people who were left out of the National Food Security Act (NFSA). It was launched by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. State Food Security Scheme (SFSS): The main beneficiary of this scheme will be vulnerable populace of state who were excluded from coverage under NFSA. Under it, beneficiaries will get 5 kg of rice per person per month at rate of Rs. 1 per kg. This will be same as availed by people covered under the National Food Security Act, The distribution of rice will be carried out through e-point of sale (e-pos) device at designated fair price shops. In Odisha, about 78% of population (3,26,41,800 people of state s total 4, 19, 74,218 population) are availing benefits of NFSA. National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013: NFSA aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas). It converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of Central Government such as Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and Public Distribution System. Under it, grains like wheat, rice and coarse grain will be distributed at the subsidized price of 3 Rs. 3, Rs. 2 and Rs. 1. Pregnant women and lactating mothers and children are entitled to get meals under prescribed nutrition by MDM and ICDS. Under it, high nutrition food is provided to children from age group of 6 months to 14 years. Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to get maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6,000. Q. Consider the following statements about National Food Security Act ) NFSA aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the population. 2) NFSA 2013 will provide high nutrition food to the children from age group of 6 months to 14 years. CIVILS/GROUPS/BANKS ,

6 Which among the following above statements are correct? a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both 1 and 2 d) None of the above NFSA aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas). It converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of Central Government such as Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and Public Distribution System. Under it, high nutrition food is provided to children from age group of 6 months to 14 years. Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to get maternity benefit of not less than Rs. 6, CIVILS/GROUPS/BANKS ,