Current affairs 09 July 2023

Ministry of Education releases report on Performance Grading Index 2.0.

Ministry of Education has released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States and UTs which assesses the performance of the school education system at the State/UT level by creating an index for comprehensive analysis.
The PGI - States/UTs was first released for the year 2017-18 and so far, has been released up to the year 2020-21.
The new PGI structure covers 73 indicators and focuses on qualitative assessment including digital initiatives and teacher education.

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in collaboration with Bayer launched a unique industry visit initiative under Atal Tinkering labs in Vapi, Gujarat.
Aim: To introduce students to the latest manufacturing techniques and technologies used in industry
Bayer has partnered with Niti Aayog since 2021 to support various initiatives of the AIM.
Bayer has adopted a total of 125 ATL schools in seven states to nurture and strengthen science-based learning.

Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) in Madhya Pradesh, India, has made history by becoming the first urban body in the country to receive Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) credit for recycling banned single-use plastic items.
Indore has implemented a complete ban on single-use plastic items within the city.
In recent times, the IMC seized approximately eight tonnes of such plastic, preventing its circulation.
Moreover, Indore has also been recognized as India’s cleanest city for the sixth consecutive year in the central government’s annual cleanliness survey.
According to reports IMC earned its first installment of EPR credit valued at Rs. 8,100 through an empaneled agency for Material Recovery Facility under PPP mode.
The credit is earned on the EPR portal of the Central Pollution Control Board.

National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has recently been honored with two prestigious awards by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). .
The awards recognize NMDC’s remarkable contribution to mineral development and its commendable employer brand..
The awards were presented by Anurag Srivastava, IAS, Secretary of the Industry, Commerce, and Enterprise Department, Government of West Bengal, during the Indian Mining and Minerals Conclave 2023..
As the largest producer of iron ore in India and the sixth largest in the world, NMDC plays a pivotal role in the country’s mineral development.
NMDC, established in 1958, is a state-controlled mineral producer owned by the Government of India.

Instagram owner Meta has launched its new social media network Threads, aiming to capitalise on the turmoil at Twitter under billionaire owner Elon Musk.
Threads aims to capitalise on the perceived volatility of Twitter, which is currently owned by billionaire Elon Musk.
The app is now available in over 100 countries and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Similar to Twitter, threads allow users to share short text messages that can be liked, reposted, and replied to by other users.
Threads does not include direct messaging features, which differentiates it from Twitter.
On threads, users can create posts with up to 500 characters and can also share links, photos and videos of up to five minutes.