TNPSC Current Affairs February 01, 2021

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Bharat Parv 2021

The annual event Bharat Parv was celebrated from 26th to 31st January, 2021 on a virtual platform created by the Ministry of Tourism. On the occasion, the Ministry dedicated three virtual pavilions – Dekho Apna Desh, Statue of Unity & Incredible India.

About the Bharat Parv:

It envisages generating patriotic fervor and showcases the rich and varied cultural diversity of the country. This event celebrates the “Essence of India”.

The Ministry of Tourism organizes Bharat Parv every year since 2016 in front of the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of Republic Day Celebrations from 26th to 31st January.

Bharat Parv 2021 showcased many pavilions of Central Ministries, State Theme Pavilions, Handicrafts, Folk performances from various states and UTs etc.

‘Dekho Apna Desh’ Campaign:

It was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2020.

It is an initiative to encourage the citizens to travel widely within the country and explore the wonders of India thus enabling the development of Domestic Tourism tourist facilities and infrastructure in tourism spots in the country.

The Ministry has also organised a series of webinars on various cities, states, cultures, heritage, wildlife, adventure, etc.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Periyar Tiger Reserve

For the first time in the country, the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Kerala has taken up training of a tiger cub to equip it to naturally hunt in the forest environment.

It falls in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta in Kerala (saddled in the southern region of Western Ghats).

Declared a Sanctuary during 1950 and declared as Tiger Reserve during 1978. It gets its name from the River Periyar which has its origin deep inside the reserve.

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Topic: Latest Reports and Events

Corruption Perception Index 2020

Corruption Perception Index 2020 has been released.

It is prepared by Transparency International.

What is Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)?

It is a composite index that draws from 12 surveys to rank nations around the globe.

It has become a benchmark gauge of perceptions of corruption and is used by analysts and investors.

The index is also based on expert opinions of public sector corruption and takes note of range of factors like whether governmental leaders are held to account or go unpunished for corruption, the perceived prevalence of bribery, and whether public institutions respond to citizens’ needs.

How are the countries ranked?

It ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. It uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

India’s performance:

India slipped six places to 86th position this year. India’s score is below the average score of the Asia-Pacific region (31 countries) and global average. India’s overall score is also two points less than that of China, which docked at 78th position.

Overall best and worst performers:

The list was topped by New Zealand and Denmark (88 each). South Sudan and Somalia were at the bottom of the global ranking, with scores of 12 each.

Corruption and COVID-19:

The latest edition of CPI highlighted the impact of corruption on government responses to COVID-19, comparing countries’ performance in the index to their investment in health care and the extent to which democratic norms and institutions have been weakened during the pandemic.

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Topic: Profile of States, Latest Diary of Events

Modi praises solo effort at lake clean-up

The untiring efforts of a 69-year-old man, paralysed below his knees, towards cleaning up Vembanad Lake, have earned recognition from the highest office of the country. In the edition of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister hailed the commitment of S. Rajappan, a differently abled man from Kaippuzhamuttu, near Kumarakom, Kottayam. Rajappan, who was afflicted with polio at the age of five, lives alone in a partially damaged hut on a riverbank in Arpookkara panchayat.

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Topic: International Events

World’s largest current account surplus

China overtook Germany to become the country with the world’s largest current account surplus in the year 2020.

The current account surplus of China has doubled more than to $310 billion in 2020. Japan ranked third with a current account surplus of $158 billion. The United States remained the country with the world’s largest current account deficit.

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Topic: International Events

16th Global Climate Risk Index 2021

It was recently released by Germanwatch-a NGO based in Bonn, Germany. Mozambique and Zimbabwe are the two most affected countries by climate change in 2019. In the past 20 years (2000-2019), Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti were the countries most affected by the impacts of weather events. In this index, India has been ranked at seventh position among the countries.

As per the report, monsoon continued for a month longer than normal in India in the year 2019.