CURRENT AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER

1. Gujarat: First big state to use EVMs with VVPAT:

• In order to make the election process more transparent, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be equipped with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPATs) in the forthcoming assembly elections in Gujarat.
• With this, Gujarat will become the second state after Goa to use VVPAT system for the entire assembly election.

        Voter Verified Paper Audit Trial (VVPAT):

• VVPAT ensures free and fair election by allowing the voters to verify whether their votes have gone to their candidates or not. For this, a printer machine is attached to the EVM. When voter presses the button for his candidate, a paper slip containing serial number, name of the candidate and poll symbol will be printed for the voter which will be visible to him in a glass container for 7 seconds.

2. Government finalizing the Electoral Bonds Scheme:

• With an aim to bring reforms in the electoral process by bringing greater transparency in funding of political parties, the Union Government is finalizing the Electoral Bonds Scheme.
• The scheme was announced in 2017-18 Union Budget and will make India the first country in the World to provide the system of unique bonds for election funding.
• Under the scheme, the proposed electoral bonds will resemble promissory notes and not an interest paying debt instrument. These bonds will be issued only by the notified authorized banks and can only be bought using cheques or digital payment.
• All the political parties will have to notify their bank accounts to the Election Commission of India to avail the benefits of this scheme.

3. TK Viswanathan Committee submits report to deal with hate speech on internet:

• TK Viswanathan Committee which was constituted to deal with cybercrimes, especially online hate speech has submitted its report to the Union Home Ministry.
• The committee was constituted after Supreme court has struck down Section 66A of the IT Act 2000 in ShreyaSinghal vs. Union of India case.

        Recommendations:

• The committee has recommended to appoint cybercrime coordinators in all the states and establish cybercrime cell in each district. They will deal with hate speech related to religion, caste, sex, language, community, place of birth, disability etc.
• It has recommended punishment with prohibiting incitement to hatred of two years imprisonment or fine of Rs.5000 or both.

4. India registers significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate:

• The recently released Sample Registration Bulletin (SRB) has shown a significant reduction of 8% in the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in 2016. IMR has been declined by 3 points from 37 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016.

        Infant Mortality Rate (IMR):

• It is the number of deaths per 1000 live births of children under one year of age.

5. India and Norway signs Letter of Intent (LoI) for health cooperation:

• India has signed a letter of intent with Norway to extend the cooperation in the health sector through Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) for a period of 3 years starting from 2018.
• This LoI has been signed keeping in mind the National Health Policy 2017 necessary for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• This bilateral cooperation will focus on different aspects of health like reproductive, maternal, new-born, adolescent health etc.

6. 28th September: World Maritime Day

• In order to acknowledge the importance of maritime security, environment and industry, the World Maritime Day is observed every year on 28th September.
• The theme for this year is- ‘Connecting Ships, Ports and People.’
• The World Maritime Day signifies the date of adaptation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) convention in 1958. The day was first observed in 1978.

        International Maritime Organization (IMO):

• Established in 1958 in Geneva as Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the agency works under United Nations for regulating the global shipping.
• Renamed in 1982 with its Headquarters in London, United Kingdom.