UPSC EXAM QUIZ 11.09.2024

Explanation:

• China hosted the 9th China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing. At the 9th China-Africa Cooperation Forum, China pledged $51 billion in financing for African countries, including support for 30 infrastructure projects across the continent.
• The summit comes at a time when China faces economic challenges and scrutiny over its massive infrastructure investments in Africa is growing.
• The theme of this year's summit is "Joining hands to advance modernization and build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.
• " The main goal of this year's summit is to establish consensus and an action plan for China-Africa cooperation over the next three years.

Explanation:

• Science journal Nature has published a study titled ‘Toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and infant mortality in India’.
• It analysed data from 35 states/Union territories and over 600 districts between 2011 and 2020.

Key Findings of the Study

• Reduction in Infant Deaths: The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) potentially averted 60,000-70,000 infant deaths annually between 2011-2020.Districts with over 30% of toilets constructed under SBM experienced 5.3 fewer infant deaths and 6.8 fewer child deaths per 1,000 births.Every 10% increase in district-level toilet access after SBM correlated with a reduction in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) by 0.9 points and Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) by 1.1 points on average.

Explanation:

• India and Abu Dhabi Emirate signed five memorandums of understanding (Mou)/agreements to strengthen cooperation in fossil fuels, the nuclear sector, and food parks.
• These agreements were signed during the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's official visit to India.
• The Crown Prince was on his first official visit to India on September 9 and 10, 2024.
• He visited New Delhi on September 9 to meet Indian political leaders and Mumbai on September 10 to boost economic and business ties.
• Abu Dhabi Emirates is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It comprises about three-fourths of the UAE's land area and is the centre of the UAE oil and gas industry.

Explanation:

• Mega Oil Palm Plantation Drive 2024 was organized under the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP). Under this, more than 17 lakh oil palm saplings were planted in 15 states of India, benefiting more than 10,000 farmers.
• It is organized by the state governments in collaboration with leading oil palm processing companies.
• Under this initiative, several awareness workshops, tree plantation campaigns and promotional programs were organized, which were successful in raising awareness and involving the farming community.

National Edible Oil Mission – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

• It was launched by the Government of India in August 2021.
• It aims to expand oil palm cultivation and promote the production of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) by establishing a value chain ecosystem for the development of the oil palm sector including viability price support.
• India is the second largest consumer of edible oil globally and the largest importer of it.
• Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Mizoram are the largest oil palm producing states in India.
• India imported 16.5 million metric tons (MT) of edible oil in the year 2022-23.
• Indonesia and Malaysia are the leading global palm oil producers followed by Thailand, Colombia and Nigeria.

Explanation:

• Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council chaired by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) concluded its meeting to review important global and domestic macroeconomic and financial developments.
• It focused on inter-regulatory coordination and assessed potential risks to financial stability in the light of emerging challenges such as global spillovers, cyber threats and climate change.

FSDC

• It is a non-statutory apex council under the Ministry of Finance, constituted by an executive order in 2010.
• The Raghuram Rajan Committee on Financial Sector Reforms (2008) first proposed the formation of the FSDC.
• The objective of the FSDC is to monitor macroeconomic and financial developments, assess risks to financial stability, enhance coordination among financial regulators and promote financial inclusion and development.
• It is headed by the Union Finance Minister. It includes heads of financial sector regulators like RBI, SEBI, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA).