France is to train Indian flight surgeons for Gaganyaan mission
Context :
France is to train Indian flight surgeons to enable them to monitor the health of astronauts selected for the human space mission Gaganyaan.
About Flight surgeon training :
- The training will be given for two-week. It is a critical aspect of the Gaganyaan project that is aimed at sending three Indians to space by 2022.
- The flight surgeons are the Indian Air Force (IAF) doctors specializing in aviation medicines and responsible for the health of astronauts before, during and after the flight
- The surgeons will be shortlisted soon.
- Those selected surgeons will undergo two weeks of training in France.
India-France relationship :
India and France share strengthened ties in the area of space. The two countries had signed a joint vision for space cooperation in March 2018.
Sri Lanka topped the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative list
Context :
Sri Lanka topped on breastfeeding rate according to a new survey conducted by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi). The survey among 97 countries globally.
Report Highlights :
- Sri Lanka’s rank is based on its performance on ten indicators of policies and programs.
- Sri Lanka has scored 91 out of 100 points
- WBTi uses color-code to rank countries. Sri Lanka earned a green color code, which implies the best level of performance.
- Sri Lanka has been making an effort to support and provide supportive measures for breastfeeding since 2005.
- Sri Lanka has demonstrated a high level of commitment towards the health and nutrition of mothers and babies.
World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) :
- WBTi was launched in 2004. WBTi assists countries to assess the status of the participating countries.
- It will also benchmark the progress in implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding in a standard way.
- The WBTi assists countries to measure strengths and weaknesses on the 10 parameters of policy and programmes that protect, promote and support optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices.
- So far, 120 countries have been involved in WBTi and 97 have completed assessments.
Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana
Context :
Uttar Pradesh state Government has launched Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana. The government also announced that it is to implement Mukhyamantri Paryatan Samvardhan Yojana.
Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana :
- The scheme will provide financial assistance of Rs.5 lakh to the family of farmers who die or become handicapped while working in fields.
- The scheme also includes Bataidars for the first time.
- The scheme will cover farmers and their family members in the age group of 18-70 years.
- The scheme was implemented on 14 September 2019 in the state.
Mukhyamantri Paryatan Samvardhan Yojana :
- The scheme aims to boost tourism in the state.
- Under the scheme, one tourist point will be developed with a fund of Rs.50 lakh in each and every assembly segment of the state.
Note: Bataidars are people who work in the field of other persons and share the crop after it is harvested.
National Startup Advisory Council
Context :
The Union Government has notified the structure of the National Startup Advisory Council to advice on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation and startups in the country.
Composition :
The Council will be chaired by Minster for Commerce & Industry.
- It will consist of the non-official members, to be nominated by Central Government, from various categories like founders of successful startups, veterans and persons capable of representing interests of incubators and accelerators etc.
- The term of the non-official members of the Startup Advisory Council will be for a period of two years.
- The nominees of the concerned Ministries/Departments/Organisations, not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the Government of India, will be ex-officio members of the Council.
- Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade will be the Convener of the Council.
Roles and functions :
- Suggest measures to foster a culture of innovation amongst citizens and students in particular, promote innovation in all sectors of economy across the country.
- Suggest measures to facilitate public organizations to assimilate innovation with a view to improving public service delivery, promote creation, protection and commercialization of intellectual property rights.
- Suggest making it easier to start, operate, grow and exit businesses by reducing regulatory compliances and costs, promote ease of access to capital for startups, and incentivize domestic capital for investments into startups.
- Mobilize global capital for investments in Indian startups, keep control of startups with original promoters and provide access to global markets for Indian startups.
Global Investment Trend Monitor report
Context :
The Global Investment Trend Monitor report, compiled by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has been released.
Key findings:
India- specific:
- India was among the top 10 recipients of Foreign Direct Investment in 2019, attracting $49 billion in inflows, a 16 per cent increase from the previous year.
Global scenario:
- The global foreign direct investment remained flat in 2019 at $1.39 trillion, a one per cent decline from a revised $1.41 trillion in 2018.
- Reasons: This is against the backdrop of weaker macroeconomic performance and policy uncertainty for investors, including trade tensions.
- Developing economies continue to absorb more than half of global FDI flows.
- South Asia recorded a 10 per cent increase in FDI to $60 billion and this growth was driven by India, with a 16 per cent increase in inflows to an estimated $49 billion.
- The FDI flows to developed countries remained at a historically low level, decreasing by a further six per cent to an estimated $643 billion.
- There was zero-growth of flows to United States, which received $251 billion FDI in 2019, as compared to $254 billion in 2018, the report said.
- Despite this, the United States remained the largest recipient of FDI, followed by China with flows of $140 billion and Singapore with $110 billion.
- The FDI in the UK was down six per cent as Brexit unfolded.
Sources: the Hindu.