30.05.23 Daily [Andhra Pradesh] APPSC Current Affairs

The two-day international innovation and creativity conclave 2023 concluded here inVisakhapatnamon Monday. The World Forum for Education in collaboration with several government agencies conducted the conclave.During the sessions, BJP foreign affairs in-charge DrVijay Chauthaiwalehighlighted the innovations carried out by India through two examples: UPI and the Covid-19 vaccine. He emphasised the importance of scaling local innovations to transform them into global solutions

The country’s wheat production is estimated to set a new record of 112.74 million tonne in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), while the overall foodgrain output is also likely to be a record 330.53 million tonne, the Agriculture Ministry said.

As per the third advance estimate of foodgrains released by the Agriculture Ministry, the country’s overall wheat production has surpassed the government’s target of 112 million tonne set for the current year, notwithstanding unseasonal rains during the harvesting period.

Wheat production declined to 107.74 million tonnes due to heat waves in key growing states in the 2021-22 crop year.

The previous record of 109.59 million tonne in wheat output was achieved during the 2020-21 crop year.

The total foodgrain production is also estimated to touch a record 330.53 million tonne in the 2022-23 crop year against the actual output of 315.61 million tonnes in the previous crop year, as per the third estimate.

India has appealed against a ruling of the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) trade dispute settlement panel which stated that the country’s import duties on certain information and technology products are inconsistent with the global trade norms.

It said India has sought a review by the Appellate Body of the errors of law and legal interpretation by the panel in its report.

The dispute panel of WTO on April 17 said in its report that import duties imposed by India on certain information and technology products violate global trading norms.

The appeal was filed by India in the WTO’s appellate body, which is the final authority on such trade disputes.

The EU on April 2, 2019 had challenged the introduction of import duties by India on a wide range of ICT products, for instance, mobile phones and components, base stations, integrated circuits and optical instruments.

The42nd Summitof theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)has kicked off in Indonesia with a theme ofASEAN Affairs: Epicenter of Growth. The summit aims to demonstrate the blocs hopes and efforts to become the center and driving force behind global development.

President Joko Widodo, who holds the presidency of the bloc, emphasized the enormous potential of the ASEAN region, which has a total population of around 650 million inhabitants and consistently outperforms the world average in terms of economic growth. He called on member countries to unite in terms of production power to make Southeast Asia the center of global growth.

Enhancing ASEANs attractiveness to foreign investment will likely also be discussed. The bloc is keen to attract firms currently looking to divest their manufacturing base away from China. ASEAN offers cheaper labor costs, but red tape and underdeveloped high-tech industries remain an obstacle.

TheWorld BanksBoard of Executive Directors has approved an $82 million loan to supportIndiasefforts in adopting global best practices foranimal health management. The loan aims to prevent, detect, and respond to endemic zoonotic, transboundary, and emerging infectious diseases, recognizing the interconnectedness of people, animals, and the environment.

With India being home to thelargest livestock population in the world, the risks associated with animal disease outbreaks are particularly high. These outbreaks not only pose risks to public health systems but also have significant economic costs. For instance, foot and mouth disease alone costs the country over $3.3 billion annually.