# Government to govern OTT platforms

Central government brought “over the top” (OTT) platforms or video streaming service providers like netflix and hotstar and also digital news and current affairs content under the ambit of regulations of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

In a gazette notification issued on 11 november 2020 and signed by the president Ram Nath Kovind, online films, digital news and current affairs content now come under the purview of the Information and Broadcasting ministry headed by union minister Prakash Javdekar.

Currently, digital content is not regulated by any body, only a self regulating code was signed by video streaming platforms in january 2020.

Regulating body of other media:

• The press council of India (PCI) looks after print media.

• The News Broadcasters Associations (NBA) looks after the TV news channels.

• The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) looks after advertising.

• The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) monitors films.

# PLI  # Production Linked Incentives

The government of India has introduced a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage domestic manufacturing and investments in 10 more sectors with an estimated outlay of about 1.4 lakh crores over the next five years.

The ten sectors which have been identified on the basis of their potential to create employment and make India self reliance, include food processing, telecom, electronics, textiles, speciality steel, automobiles and auto components, solar photo voltaic modules and white goods such as air conditioners and LEDs.

PLI scheme is already working successfully in mobile handset manufacturing which has attracted investments from companies like apple other than some domestic mobile manufacturing companies like Lava.

# COVAXIN third phase trials

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor prof. Tariq Mansoor got himself registered for COVAXIN  third phase trials at the Jawahar Lal Nehru medical coolege hospital in AMU.

The third phase trials of Covaxin began on 10 nov 2020 in JNMCH in AMU.

Covaxin is being developed by Indian company Bharat Biotech with co assistance from Government bodies like Indian council of Medical Reasearch (ICMR) and is expected to complete its final third phase trials by march 2021 end.

# Association of Democratic Reforms

# ADR

ADR is an NGO which publish reports on data related to elections. According to recent data on bihar elections, 68%(163 of 243) newly elected Bihar MLAs have pending criminal chargesagainst them. 51% of them have declared serious cases against themselves including rape and murder.

In 2015 bihar assembly, 58%(142 0f 243) of MLAs had criminal cases pending against them. 40%(98 of 243) had serious cases of murder, kidnapping, crime against women pending against them. i.e there is a increase in the number of elected MLAs with criminal cases.

# Recession

According to RBIs recent data, the GDP contracted 8.6% in july-sep quarter. Earlier, GDP contracted 23.9% in april-july quarter. This trend shows that the Indian economy has entered into recession. But it is unlikely to continue as most of the economic indicators of october are positive and GDP growth is likely to bounce back in positive territory in coming quarters.

• Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar unveiled project “AIR CARE” for Gurugram under which 65 wind augmentation purifying units will be installed across Gurugram through Public Private Partnership(ppp).

• Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective, Russian health ministry has claimed.

• Bahrain’s prince Khalifa bin salman al-khalifa, the world’s longest serving prime minister who held the post since independence in 1971 died on 11 nov 2020 at the age of 84.

# world’s history of the day

• American comic book writer Stan Lee who helped create such iconic characters and teams as the Fantastic four, Spider man, The X -men, and the Avengers for marvel comics died at age 95 in 2018 on this day.

# India’s history of the day

• On this day in 1930, the first round table conference called by British Government to consider the future constitution of India, opened in London.

• On this day in 1893, the treaty of the Durand line was signed between present day pakistan and Afghanistan. The Durand line has gained international recognition as an intenational border between two nations. This treaty was signed between British India and Emirate of Afghanistan by Mortimer Durand.

# word of the day

Recession:- If the GDP contracts for two successive quarters, it is called recession in economy.

Depression:- A more severe economic recession i.e more than 10% GDP contraction for long term or continuous recession for two or more years is called depression.