Daily Current Affairs for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, BPSC, MPPSC, RPSC and All State PCS Examinations (05 October 2020)

New Species of Pipeworts

Scientists from Agharkar Research Institute, Pune discover two new species of pipeworts from the Western Ghats of Maharashtra & Karnataka.

Two new species of a plant group known for their varied medicinal properties have been discovered in the Western Ghats – one of the thirty-five hot-spots of biological diversity in the world.
The plant group known as pipeworts (Eriocaulon), which completes its life cycle within a small period during the monsoons, exhibits great diversity in the Western Ghats, having around 111 species in India.
Most of these are reported from the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas, and around 70% of them are endemic to the country.
One species, Eriocaulon cinereum, is well known for its anti-cancerous, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties.
E.quinquangulare is used against liver diseases.
E.madayiparense is an anti-bacterial from Kerala.

The one reported from the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra was named Eriocaulon parvicephalum (due to its minute inflorescence size).
The other reported from Kumta, Karnataka was named Eriocaulon karaavalense (named after Karaavali which means Coastal Karnataka region).
The medicinal properties of the newly discovered species are yet to be explored.

India's ranking in digital competitiveness fell to the 48th position in 2020 from the 44 a year ago, a statement by the Institute of Management Development (IMD).

The Swiss-based academic institution ranked 63 economies based on readiness to adopt and explore digital technologies. The parameters measured included knowledge of advancements, availability and usage of technology and adaptive attitudes for future developments.
India's position in terms of future readiness to adopt technologies fell 10 places in 2020 compared with the previous year.

India's main weaknesses included business regulations and difficulty in starting businesses.
It scored the lowest rank in wireless broadband availability and number of internet users, among all nations.
The country's top strengths included the number of graduates in sciences and investment in telecommunication, in which it stood in the top ten.
India stood 12th amongst Asia-Pacific countries which include Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Korea.
USA and Singapore retained the top 2 positions for the third consecutive year.

This year’s results show few changes in the top ten from last year. However, three clear trends in 2020’s results run through all economies that made the higher echelons.
One is an efficient use of digital talent, a reflection of having the technological infrastructure in place and using the technology available.
The flexibility and adaptability of both individuals and the private sector may also be a large part of the puzzle for countries trying to rebuild their economies from COVID’s battering.