www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs April 05, 2019

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs April 05, 2019 (05/04/2019)

Topic: Awards and Honours, Latest Diary of Events

Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman’ Awards

Vice President recently conferred around 100 ‘President’s Certificate of Honour’ and ‘Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman’ Awards to scholars in Classical Languages.

About ‘Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman’ Awards:

The Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman distinction is conferred on persons in recognition of their substantial contribution in the field of Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Pali, Prakrit, Classical Oriya, Classical Kannada, Classical Telugu and Classical Malayalam.

These awards were introduced in the year 2002. Given to selected young scholars in the age group of 30 to 45 years.

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

World Health Day

April 7 of each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. This year’s World Health Day will focus on equity and solidarity.

Theme of World Health Day 2019 is “Universal Health Coverage: Everyone, Everywhere”.

Background:

From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950, the celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization.

Topic: Environment and Ecology, New Terminologies, Latest Diary of Events

Global Cooling Coalition

The first-ever global coalition on clean and efficient cooling was launched at the recently held First Global Conference on Synergies between the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Key facts:

The Global Cool Coalition is a unified front that links action across the Kigali Amendment, Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective: It is expected to inspire ambition, identify solutions and mobilise action to accelerate progress towards clean and efficient cooling.

Supporters: Besides the UN, it is supported by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL).

Composition: It includes government officials from Chile, Rwanda, Denmark as well as leaders from civil society, research and academia.

Why do we need it?

Throughout the world, 2018 was the fourth hottest year, preceded by 2017, 2015 and 2016. With increasing incomes and urbanisation, number of air conditioning units across the globe is set to increase from 1.2 billion to 4.5 billion by 2050, and India alone may account for one billion units.

In the next 20 years, India’s cooling requirement will increase by eight times, with air conditioners alone consuming more than half of the total energy required for cooling in the country by 2037-38. India has already developed a national cooling action plan that was launched by the Union environment ministry on March 8, 2019.

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Bejjur vultures

They are also known as longbilled vultures (Gyps indicus). It is the smallest of the vultures. Feed exclusively on carrion, and mainly remains of cattle. Listed under the ‘critically endangered’ category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is Vulnerable to poisoning by Diclofenac.

Topic: Awards and Honours, Persons in News, Latest Diary of Events

Shah Rukh Khan conferred with Honorary Doctorate from University of Law, London

Eminent Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Philanthropy by the University of Law, London. He was awarded this for his efforts to give back to society.

Earlier, the actor was also conferred with honorary doctorates from the University of Bedfordshire and the University of Edinburgh.

Topic: Profile of States, General Administration, Latest Diary of Events

Phayeng Village of Manipur tagged as India’s first carbon-positive settlement

Phayeng, a scheduled caste village of the Chakpa community in Imphal West district of Manipur has been tagged as India’s first carbon-positive settlement.

Key facts:

The village is surrounded by three densely forested hillocks with fruit trees at centre and a stream flowing through it.

Also, it has been revived from the dry and denuded village through the sheer determination of its residents and funding under National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC), which is a central scheme launched in 2015-16 to support adaptation for climate change impact in various states.