current affairs 19 march 2021

1. Vehicle scrappage policy

• The policy is aimed at reducing the population of old and defective vehicles, bringing down vehicular air pollutants
• States can also offer discount on registration and road tax for buying new vehicles against the scrapped one
• The vehicle manufacturers have been advised for providing a discount of 5 per cent on purchase of new vehicle against the scrapping certificate.
• In addition, the registration fees may also be waived for purchase of new vehicle against the scrapping certificate.
  
  
  

2. Italy joins International Solar Alliance, signs framework agreement with India

• The amendments to the Framework Agreement of the ISA entered into force, opening its Membership to all Member States of the UN
  
  
  

3. PGIMER institute has become the first institute in the world to achieve 100% Success in catching cushing's syndrome

• Cushing’s syndrome is a hormonal disorder that results in weight gain with thinning of extremities, hypertension, loss of bone mass, changes in mood like depression, hair loss, striae on abdomen, bluish patches on skin.
• Once diagnosed, the treatment is rewarding in terms of remission of diabetes & hypertension, decrease in weight and improvement in bones strength and mood
  
  
  

4. Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan appointed as Chairman of international body Stop TB Partnership Board

• He was appointed in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the movement to eradicate Tuberculosis from India by 2025. Dr Harsh Vardhan will serve a three-year term, commencing from July this year
  
  
  

5. CSIR-NIO Expedition to Indian Ocean to map genetic diversity of organisms, micronutrients & trace metals

• The group will be cruising through Indian Ocean for nearly 3 months, collecting huge amount of samples to unravel the mysteries in Indian Ocean
• The expedition will be starting from Visakhapatnam Port, going to the mouth of Hooghly, Brahmaputra and going southwards right up to 30oS latitude along 90oE
• With a fuel refill at Mauritius, the team will continue the return journey northwards coming up to EEZ of Pakistan and back to Goa. The expedition will cover approximately 10,000 Nautical miles.
• One of the key objectives of the mission is to identify and characterise the genes and proteins in the ocean to understand the cellular level processes occurring in the microorganisms is response.