March 29, 2024 | Daily Current Affairs for APSC/UPSC
India-China Border Talks - March 2024
- India and China engaged in fresh talks regarding their border issues, particularly focusing on eastern Ladakh.
- Both sides agreed to maintain regular contact through diplomatic and military channels.
- The 29th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) took place in Beijing on March 27.
India Launches Database for Crimes Against UN Peacekeepers
- India has launched a new database aimed at recording crimes against UN peacekeepers and monitoring the progress in holding perpetrators accountable.
- The announcement was made during a high-level meeting of the India-led 'Group of Friends' (GOF) on Tuesday.
- The database serves as an online repository to empower the Secretariat, Missions, and member states to monitor and address cases of malicious acts against peacekeepers.
- It is hosted on the Unite Aware platform and is intended to facilitate comprehensive analysis and drive effective strategies for promoting accountability.
- India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, highlighted India's leadership in advocating for accountability and leading the GOF dedicated to this cause.
- India sponsored the database and is actively involved in promoting accountability measures.
Group of Friends (GOF)
- The GOF, launched by India in 2022 during its presidency of the UN Security Council, aims to promote accountability for crimes against UN peacekeepers.
- Co-chaired by India, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco, and Nepal, the GOF comprises 40 member states.
- Meeting Focus:
- The GOF's second meeting focused on strategies to strengthen legal frameworks against perpetrators of malicious acts targeting peacekeepers.
- Discussions included supporting measures for ensuring accountability and providing legal frameworks for crimes against peacekeepers.
Global Smartphone Shipments Outlook for 2024
- Global smartphone shipments are forecasted to rebound modestly by 3% year-on-year in 2024, reaching 1.2 billion units.
- This growth is attributed to increased demand in both the budget and premium segments.
India's Fiscal Deficit and Core Sector Industries Growth - March 2024
- India's fiscal deficit for the first 11 months of 2023-24 stood at Rs 15.01 lakh crore, which is 86.5% of the revised annual estimate.
- The revised annual estimate for the fiscal deficit was Rs 17.35 lakh crore for the full financial year 2023-24.
- Factors Contributing to Decline:
- Despite increased government expenditure on infrastructure projects aimed at boosting economic growth, the fiscal deficit decreased.
- Higher tax receipts and an increase in non-tax revenue were key contributing factors.
Growth in India's Eight Core Industries - February 2024
- The eight core industries, including sectors like coal, cement, steel, and electricity, witnessed a significant growth of 6.7% in February 2024 compared to the same month of the previous year.
- These core industries collectively hold a substantial weight of 40.27% in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), providing a reliable indicator of overall industrial growth.
The Assam Tribune Editorial Summary, (March 29, 2024): Food wastage
The United Nations Food Waste Index Report for 2022 reveals alarming statistics regarding global food waste, with approximately 19% of food produced globally wasted, amounting to about 1.05 billion metric tonnes. This occurs against the backdrop of 783 million people facing chronic hunger, highlighting a deepening food crisis.
Key Points from the Report:
- The amount of food wasted globally is staggering, exacerbating food insecurity and hunger issues worldwide.
- Food waste contributes significantly to environmental degradation, including land and water resource depletion and greenhouse gas emissions, notably methane.
- Food loss and waste generate 8 to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, ranking third after China and the US.
- Methane emissions from food waste have contributed around 30% to global warming since pre-industrial times, highlighting the direct link between food waste and climate change.
- Food waste means less food available for the poorest populations, exacerbating hunger and poverty.
- Minimising food waste can lead to resource conservation, environmental sustainability, enhanced food security, and better land use practices.
- Collaboration among governments, regional bodies, industry groups, and NGOs is essential to tackle food waste effectively.
- Public-private partnerships can play a significant role in promoting systemic action.
- Strengthening the food redistribution system, including donating surplus food to food banks and charities, can significantly reduce food waste.
- Initiatives like Food Banking Kenya demonstrate successful models of surplus food redistribution to vulnerable populations.
- Food waste is not solely a problem of wealthy nations but a global concern, with per capita household food waste differences between high-income and lower-income countries surprisingly small.
- In India, with a rapidly growing population and increasing land-use changes, addressing food waste is critical to ensuring future food security and environmental sustainability.
- Urgent measures, including legislative actions to prohibit the transfer of farmland for non-agricultural purposes, are necessary to address the pressing issue of food waste and its implications on food security and environmental sustainability.
Credit: The Assam Tribune, March 29, 2024.
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