Prelim Bits 08-08-2017

India VIX

• India Volatility Index (VIX) is released by National Stock Exchange (NSE).
• It measures the degree of volatility or fluctuation that active traders expect in the Nifty50 over the next 30 days.
• It is a good indicator of whether participants in stocks are feeling fearful or satisfied about the near future.
• The NIFTY 50 index is NSE’s benchmark stock market index for Indian equity market.
• NIFTY is owned and managed by India Index Services and Products (IISL), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the NSE.

Measles-Rubella Vaccination campaign

• Central Government has completed the phase I of Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign and phase II has been rolled out.
• Under the vaccination campaign, all children in the age group of 9 months to 15 years will be vaccinated against measles-rubella.
• Following the campaign, MR vaccine will become a part of routine immunization and will replace measles vaccine, currently given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child.

• India, along with ten other WHO South East Asia Region member countries, has resolved to eliminate measles and control rubella/congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020.

Measles

• Measles is a highly contagious infection and one of the major childhood killer diseases, caused by the measles virus that spreads through air.
• Initial signs and symptoms typically include fever followed by formation of small white spots form inside the mouth and red rashes which usually starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body.
• Complications include diarrhea, blindness, inflammation of the brain, and pneumonia among others.

Rubella

• It is commonly known as German Measles.
• It is caused by the rubella virus that spread through the air via coughs.
• Unlike measles, rubella is a mild viral infection that mainly occurs in children.
• But infection during early pregnancy may result in a child born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) or miscarriage.
• Symptoms of CRS include problems with the eyes such as cataracts, ears such as deafness, heart, and brain.

Water Resources Group

• The 2030 Water Resources Group (2030WRG) will help the Maharashtra Government raise $270 million from the Green Climate Fund.
• The fund which will be invested in integrated watershed programmes such as Jalyukt Shivar Yojana.
• The 2030 WRG was launched in 2008 at the World Economic Forum and has been hosted by International Finance Corporation since 2012.
• It is public-private-civil society collaboration for water resources reform in developing economies by facilitating open, trust-based dialogue processes.
• Its ultimate aim is to close the gap between water demand and supply by the year 2030.

Green Climate Fund

• Green Climate Fund is a financial mechanism under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• It was set up by 194 countries that are part of UNFCCC, at the Conference of the Parties-16 (COP-16) in Cancun in 2010.
• The Fund’s investments can be in the form of grants, loans, equity or guarantees.
• The funds come mainly from developed countries, but also from some developing countries, regions, and one city (Paris).
• It aims to deliver equal amounts of funding to developing countries for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
• It focuses on investing in low-emission and climate-resilient development projects.
• As per the international agreement, advanced economies should provide an annual assistance of $100 billion, through public and private sources, by 2020 — the deadline is now extended to 2025.

Fly Ash

• Fly ash is a by-product obtained by burning coal and is usually produced at thermal power stations.
• It is a substance containing aluminous and siliceous material that forms cement in the presence of water.
• Thus it can be used for replacing cement to produce concrete for road construction.
• It is utilised in cement and asbestos industry, ready mix concrete plants, road embankment, brick making, mine filling, ash dyke rising and land development.

Capital Adequacy Ratio

• Capital Adequacy Ratio is also known as Capital-to-Risk weighted assets ratio (CRAR).
• It is a financial metric used to measure the ability of a bank to withstand losses without affecting its lenders and depositors.
• It is calculated simply by dividing the capital of a bank by its assets.
• In case of heavy losses, the bank’s capital takes the first hit before the funds of lenders are affected.
• Two types of capital are measured for calculating CAR.
• Tier one capital, which can absorb losses without a bank being required to cease trading.
• Tier two capital, which can absorb losses in the event of a winding-up and so provides a lesser degree of protection to depositors.