Daily Current Affairs for UPSC : May-08-2021

Polity⚖️

Secularism: Oil PSUs — IOC, ONGC, GAIL, BPCL and HPCL — have committed Rs 100 crore for the redevelopment of Badrinath Dham, one of the holiest shrines of Hindus, as a spiritual smart hill town. Counter argument: Govt companies’ money could have been used for fixing oxygen shortage in Corona wave 2.0 instead of developing religious sites. Counter-counter argument: Infrastructure development will boost tourism, Construction activities also help creation of jobs.

Economy?

Black money: To discourage cash intensive economy and black money earlier Central Board of Direct taxes banned cash transactions beyond ₹2 lakh. But because of coronavirus wave 2.0, CBDT allowed hospitals, dispensaries and Covid care centres to accept cash payments in excess of Rs 2 lakh from patients or kin till May 31. Although hospitals will have to keep a record of PAN or Aadhaar. points to consider 1) why is corona treatment costing more than Rs.2 lakh!? instead of controlling prices/loot-bazaar/encouraging cashless health insurance for everyone, why is govt allowing cash payment to facilitate their business! कोरोना का इलाज के लिए ₹200000 से ज्यादा कैश/नगदी में भुगतान करने के बाद, चड्डी-बनियान के अलावा और कुछ बचेगा कि नहीं, – यह भी गौर करने का विषय है.

Science?

Lockdown: KARNATAKA over 45,000 Covid cases daily in the past week, so the State government imposed a total lockdown from May 10 to May 24 to break the chain of Covid transmission. सोचो इस राज्य के इंटरव्यू कैंडिडेट यूपीएससी पैनल को क्या जवाब देंगे “हमारी राज्य सरकार और हमारे लोग, कोरोना के प्रति बहुत ही गंभीर और जिम्मेदार हैं इसलिए रोज के सिर्फ 45000 लोग ही बीमार हो रहे हैं.” क्योंकि कोचिंग वाले हमेशा यही सिखाते हैं कि अपने राज्य के बारे में कुछ खराब नहीं बोलना है, सब कुछ सकारात्मक रूप से बोलना है.
Corona variant, called B.1.617, first found in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, has received a lot of attention because of its ability to transmit at a faster rate and, possibly, also to evade the immune response. HEALTH AUTHORITIES in England have labelled it as a variant of concern (VOC).
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs( NSAIDs): these medicines are common treatments for acute pain and rheumatological diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Previously it was thought that NSAIDs Will create dangerous side effects on Corona patients. But new research says they are safe.
Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by China’s Sinopharm: recieved emergency use authorisation from WHO. So, it may be Given to poor people in third world countries free of cost under UN-backed COVAX programme.
CoWIN portal: If a person is registered but he does not get vaccination because of vaccine shortage / missing appointment, Still the system was generating messages that “User has received vaccination.” So, A NEW feature has been added to the CoWIN portal. Now, anyone who has registered on the portal, will have to produce a four digit security code /OTP t the vaccination centre to verify themselves.

Ethics GSM4☯️

Compassion for death row criminals: USA’s South Carolina State government is unable to get lethal injections from pharmaceutical companies for convicted criminals facing death penalty. So the state government is now enacting a bill/law that death-row criminals will face either A) electric chair or B) firing squad when lethal injection is not possible. Human right activists are opposed that death should be painless (like in Lethal injection with sleeping drugs) Whereas electric chair and firing squad are very painful. And if People are killed through firing squad then what is the difference between a democracy like the USA and a dictatorship like North Korea?” Question: As an MLA in South Carolina Vidhan Sabha Will you vote in favour of this bill or not? अमेरिका की राज्य सरकार को फार्मास्यूटिकल कंपनियों से जहरीला इंजेक्शन नहीं मिल रहा जिससे कि वह मृत्युदंड वाले कैदियों को मार सके. इसलिए राज्य सरकार ऐसा विधेयक लेकर आई है कि जहरीला इंजेक्शन नहीं मिला तो विद्युत-कुर्सी या फायरिंग स्क्वाड की बंदूकों से उड़ा देंगे. मानव-अधिकार आंदोलनजीवी इसका विरोध कर रहे हैं की कैदी को दयापूर्ण तरीके से और बिना दर्द के मारना चाहिए-जो केवल जहरीले इंजेक्शन में संभव है क्योंकि उसमें नींद की दवाई भी मिलाई होती है इसलिए कैदी को दर्द नहीं होता, और वह नींद में ही मर जाता है. विधायक के रुप में आप इस बिल/विधेयक पर कैसे वोट करेंगे?
Money landing in Corona: MONEY lenders have submitted memorandum to the District Collector demanding that 1) they be included in essential services so they can keep their money lending shops open in Corona, as they lend money to the needy on gold and silver ornaments. 2) Many people are at home with no work. They want to borrow money and banks are not passing the loans for purchasing remdesivir and oxygen cylinder in black market. So, if our money lending shops are not allowed to open, people have to suffer a lot. 3) We are small players catering to the middle class and lower income groups. If our shops are allowed to open, the poor with benefit. But the policeman are forcibly shutting down our shops in the name of Corona. Question: As District Collector (IAS) will you permit this or not? ब्याज पर पैसा घुमाने वाले साहूकार बोल रहे हैं कि हमको भी “आवश्यक सेवा” में गिना जाए और कोरोना में हमारी दुकानों को खोलने खुली रखने की अनुमति हो क्योंकि तभी तो लोग अपने सोने जवाहरात गिरवी रख के ब्लैक में रेमदेसीविर इंजेक्शन और ऑक्सीजन सिलेंडर खरीद पाएंगे. वरना बैंक वाले तो इसके लिए लोन में पैसा देंगे नहीं! तो डिस्ट्रिक्ट कलेक्टर के रूप में उनकी इस अर्जी पर क्या जवाब देंगे?
Religious belief in Corona: A video has become viral on social media showing a large number of women devotees took out a religious procession (kalash yatra) in Sanand of Ahmedabad district, amid a raging Covid-19 pandemic. The community believed that prayers to Lord Baliyadev will help them get rid of diseases including Covid-19. As Superintendent of Police (IPS) What will you do? “कोरोना से हमारे गांव को बचाने के लिए हम एक धार्मिक कलश यात्रा निकाली है” ऐसा वीडियो सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल हुआ तो पुलिस एसपी के रूप में आप क्या करेंगे?
Greed /Lack of cyber-awareness: Cybercriminals create a fake website. It mentioned that the Gujarat government had launched a scheme of free laptop and free tablet for students who just completed class 12.The website had demanded Rs. 500 for registration. 71 Students duped. सरकारी योजना का फॉर्म भरने में, सरकारी नौकरियों का फॉर्म भरने में- फर्जी वेबसाइट बनाकर लोगों को बेवकूफ बनाया जा रहा है.
Disguise/sting operation: Pune Police Commissioner Krishna Prakash takes disguise of a bearded man “Jamal Kamal Khan” wearing a kurta and a skull cap And visits various Police stations to find 1) Pimpri Police Station refused to write his complain about emergency Ambulance Service charging ₹5000, And ask him to visit another police station in the middle of the night. Thus, they were not sensitive towards the complainants,” 2) In the police station, Many accused, arrested on different charges,crammed in one lock-up violating Covid protocol of social distancing. पुराने जमाने में राजा महाराजा वेश बदलकर लोगों का हाल जाने के लिए रात को निकलते थे. आज पुलिस कमिश्नर ऐसा कर रहे हैं.

PIN-GK?️

Death: Music composer Vanraj Bhatia (Mumbai) won National Award and Padma Shri. Associated with music of Bharat Ek khoj, Manthan (Amul Song), Waagle ki Duniya, Banegi Apni Baat and Tamas etc.
Death: Dhirubhai L Sheth, political scientist and philosopher. member of the National Commission for Backward Classes from 1993 to 1996
Appointment: AINRC leader N Rangasamy was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Puducherry. He will lead a coalition government of BJP members in his cabinet

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