Current Affairs Question - 26 August 2019

Explanation :

• On 29^th July, 2019, Odisha bagged the geographical indication (GI) tag for its “Odisha Rasagola”.
• The formal certification was issued by Chennai-based GI registry on its website.
• The GI tag for the same product from both the states will now be recognised by two distinct texture and taste.
• While West Bengal claimed that the idea of this delicacy was conceived by Nobin Chandra Das (birth 1845) at his Bagbazar residence in Kolkata, Odisha locals cite that their rasagola dates back to the 12th century when these were being offered at the PuriJagannath Temple.

GI Tag

• A GI refers to a name or distinctive sign that is used on a product i.e., usually owned collectively, and can be used to distinguish goods on the basis of its geographical origin and unique characteristics.
• Also, the GI tag helps in marketing and branding of a local product, and can draw penalties if someone is found copying outside that geographical region.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) announced that it would set up a Pashmina testing centre in Leh, in partnership with the lab of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh to check the quality of Pashmina collected.
• BIS would train the locals, with the cooperation of Leh Hill Council, in marking of the standards to save the time and money.

Pashmina Wool

• Pashmina is a fine type of Kashmiri wool which comes from 4 distinct breeds of the Cashmere goat namely:
• Changthangi (or Kashmir Pashmina goat) from the Changthang Plateau in Kashmir region
• Malra from Kargil area in Kashmir region
• Chegu from Himachal Pradesh
• Chyangara (or Nepalese Pashmina goat) from Nepal.
• In India, pashmina is obtained from Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, Lahaul and SpitiValley of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Kashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand.
• Kashmir Pashmina has been assigned Geographical Indication (GI) tag under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• The CVC has constituted a four-member Advisory Board for Banking Frauds (ABBF)  headed by former Vigilance Commissioner T M Bhasinto examine bank fraud over Rs 50 crore and recommend action.
• Other members of the panel are Madhusudan Prasad - former Urban Development Secretary, D K Pathak - former Director General of the Border Security Force and Suresh N Patel - former MD and CEO of Andhra Bank. The tenure of the Chairman and members would be for a period of two years from August 21, 2019.
• The panel in its previous avatar called the Advisory Board on Bank, Commercial and Financial Frauds.
• The board's jurisdiction would be confined to those cases involving the level of officers of General Manager and above in the PSB in respect of an allegation of a fraud in a borrowal account.
• CBI may also refer any case or matter to the board where it has any issue or difficulty or in technical matters with the PSB concerned.
• So, the statements given as 2 and 4 are correct while 1 and 3 incorrect.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

• Rajasthan’s free medicine scheme secured the highest position with first ranking issued by the National Health Mission (NHM) among the sixteen states of the country.
• The scheme was launched on 2nd October 2011 and it provides 2 components:
  • Free Medicines: To provide commonly-used essential medicines free of cost to patients visiting government healthcare institutions (introduced on 2nd October 2011), and
  • Free Tests: To provide free tests (introduced on 7th April 2011)
• The number of free medicines has been increased from 608 to 712 and free tests from 70 to 90.

Significance

• The initiative was taken aiming to reduce out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) and improve footfalls in public health facilities.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online