08.09.21 Daily [Andhra Pradesh] APPSC Current Affairs

Big liquor companies including Ab InBev, United Spirits and United Breweries, which leftAndhra Pradeshafter YSRC government announced phase-wise in 2019, are now looking to make a comeback to the state.

While the primary reason for these companies to shut their operations in AP was alleged non-payment of outstanding dues, they had hastened through the exit process as they did not see any future prospects in view of the proposed phase-wise total prohibition. They are now planning to send their proposals to the State Government to restart their businesses in the state, sources said.

Sources said prohibition is not taking shape on expected lines and liquor turnover has witnessed a multi-fold increase in the last one year, which is the main reason for alcobev companies showing interest in returning to the liquor business in AP. Sources informed attempts are being made by these companies to reach out to the state government through Industry bodies like FICCI and International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI).

National Teachers Award 2021 was awarded through President Ram Nath Kovind, September 5, 2021. President Kovind gave the Awards to forty-four finest teachers in the country for their devoted contribution.

Highlights:

The award contributes to those who enhance the niceness of schooling for students and inspire and enrich their lives. This year, the Ministry of Education launched the name of 44 teachers who would be conferred the National Teachers Award. Out of the complete forty-four teachers, 9 of the awardees are Women.

The Manda buffalo has been regarded as the nineteenth unique breed of buffalo found in India by the NBAGR (National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources).

Key Points:

According to research done recently, around 30% of the 557 raptor species around the world are threatened by extinction to some degree. It is an evaluation by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature () and BirdLife International (a international PARTNERSHIP of conservation organisations (NGOs)).

A raptor is a bird of prey. A bird of prey is a carnivore (meat-eater) that kills and eats mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, rodents, and other birds.

All raptors have a hooked beak, robust feet with sharp talons, keen eyesight, and a carnivorous diet.

Raptors prey on a large variety of vertebrates & thus, facilitate long-distance seed dispersal. This indirectly increases seed production & pest control.

India is a signatory to Raptors MoU. India has also launched a Vulture Action Plan 2020-25 for the conservation of vultures. India is additionally a part of the SAVE – Saving Asias Vultures from Extinction consortium.

International Literacy Day is located globally on 8th September each and every year. The day spread awareness about the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies and the want for intensified efforts closer to extra literate societies.

The fifty-fifth International Literacy Day theme is Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide. The 8th of September was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO in 1966 to remind the global neighbourhood of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards extra literate societies. It was celebrated for the 1st time in 1967.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched Vidyanjali Portal and several other initiatives in the <a href="https://exam.pscnotes.com/Education-sector”>Education sector.

These initiatives were launched while asserting that they will play a significant role in shaping Indias future.

Initiatives were launched while inaugurating the conclave of Shikshak Parv.

Vidyanjali portal was launched with the objective of facilitating education volunteers, donors or CSR contributors for school development.

Vidyanjali portal was launched to enable community or volunteers to contribute by connecting with the government and government-aided schools of their choice directly.

PRANA Portal will be used to track the progress of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in order to comply with Indias commitment to ensure clean air and blue skies to everybody.

This portal was launched on the occasion of International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies in non-attainment cities (NAC).

Non-attainment cities are those cities that failed to meet the National air quality standards in a five-year period.

With Indias efforts, 86 cities showed a better air quality in 2019 and it increased to 104 cities in 2020.

PRANA portal will help in tracking physical and financial status of city air action plan implementation. It will also disseminate information on air quality to the public.

Smog tower was launched at Anand Vihar in Delhi.

Now, ministry would keep a close eye on the results to determine if India need more of such projects in the future.

A smog tower is a structure that are designed as a large or medium scale air purifier. It helps in reducing Air Pollution by forcing the air through filters.

Filtration system used in the smog tower has been designed by University of Minnesota. It has an expected efficiency of 90 per cent.