TNPSC Current Affairs October 21, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs October 21, 2020 (21/10/2020)

Topic: General Administration, Profile of States

Punjab Assembly Rejects Centre’s Farm Laws

Recently, Punjab became the first State in the country to formally reject the Central government’s three Farm Acts by passing three Bills to negate the Union laws.

It also rejected the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill and demanded their immediate annulment.

Key facts:

Punjab State Bills: The Punjab assembly introduced three farm Bills:

The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.

It seeks to ensure that sale or purchase of wheat or paddy in Punjab is not allowed below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). It also seeks to provide for punishment for harassment of farmers or payment of less price to the farmers.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.

It provides for imprisonment of not less than three years and fines for sale-purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below the MSP.

The Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.

It prevents hoarding and black-marketing of agricultural produce and seeks to ensure status quo ante with regard to implementation of the Central Act namely, ‘The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020’.

While the central law abolished any market fees or licences for private players outside the APMCs, the Punjab bills have reintroduced it.

These fees will go towards a fund for the welfare of small and marginal farmers.

The Assembly also introduced Code of Civil Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020.

It seeks to exempt agricultural land not exceeding 2.5 acres from Section 60 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, which provides for attachment of various properties – moveable and immoveable in execution of decree (judgement).

It also seeks to exempt the Properties of the farmers such as cattle, implements, cowsheds, etc from attachment.

These exemptions are provided, given the farmers’ apprehension about attachment-decree of their land as a consequence of enforcement of farming contracts.

Topic: International Events

Extending New START Treaty

The Russian President has proposed extending by one year the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) between the USA and Russia expiring in February 2021.

Key facts:

The New START Treaty: It is a treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on measures for the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. It entered into force on 5th February 2011.

New START has replaced the 1991 START I treaty, which expired December 2009, and superseded the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force.

It is a successor to the START framework of 1991 (at the end of the Cold War) that limited both sides to 1,600 strategic delivery vehicles and 6,000 warheads.

It continues the bipartisan process of verifiably reducing the USA and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals by limiting both sides to 700 strategic launchers and 1,550 operational warheads. It will lapse in February 2021 unless extended for a five-year period.

Topic: Places in News

Nazca Lines: Peru

Recently, a giant cat geoglyph was discovered on a hill at the famous Nazca Lines site in Peru.

Key facts:

The Nazca Lines:

These are a group of geoglyphs known for the depictions of larger-than-life animals, plants and imaginary beings. Geoglyphs are the large designs made on the ground by creators using elements of the landscape such as stones, gravel, dirt or lumber.

These are believed to be the greatest known archaeological enigma, owing to their size, continuity, nature and quality. The site is around 450 km away from capital Lima.

Drawn more than 2 millennia ago on the surface of southern Peru’s arid Pampa Colorada, the geoglyphs feature different subjects, but mainly plants and animals.

The figures include pelicans (the largest ones sized around 935 feet long), Andean Condors (443 feet), monkeys (360 feet), etc. Variety of geometric shapes such as triangles, trapezoids and spirals, and some have been associated with astronomical functions.

Discovery and Heritage Site: The Lines were first discovered in 1927, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.

Topic: International Events

India International Science Festival 2020

The 6th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held virtually in 2020. The 5th edition was held in Kolkata in 2019.

Key facts:

IISF is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India’s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad.

It was launched in 2015 to promote Science and Technology and demonstrate how science could lead India towards a developed nation within a short span of time.

It aims to engage the public with science and celebrate the joy of science and show the ways how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) provide solutions to improve people’s lives.

Topic: Science and Technology

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully touches Asteroid to samples

The United States based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had launched the OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft to the Asteroid Bennu in 2016. The Spacecraft has now touched the Asteroid After two years of circling.

This mission is aimed at studying the Asteroid Bennu and return with at least 60 grams of the sample. The spacecraft comprises three bottles of nitrogen that can make the spacecraft to touch down the asteroid thrice.

Asteroid Bennu:

The asteroid Bennu is a hazardous object that has a 1 in 2700 chance of hitting the Earth in the year 2175 and 2199. It has a mean diameter of 492 meters and has a roughly round shape. The asteroid is under observation by the various observatories of the Earth.