Current Affairs 20th January 2018

Current Affairs 20th January 2018 - Important Points

• India became member of which group - Australia Group
• Archaeologists discovered world's biggest flooded cave in - Mexico
• Which Indian state became first state to unveil public cloud policy - Maharashtra

Current Affairs 20th January 2018 - Details

India became member of which group - Australia Group

India on 19th January 2018 united the Australia Group export control regime, an informal forum that pursues to ensure that exports do not adds to the development of chemical or other biological weapons.
India turned out to be the 43rd member of the group. The inclusion is believed to raise India's reputation in the field of non-proliferation and assist in acquiring critical technologies.

About the Australia Group

It is an informal forum of nations which, through the harmonisation of export dominance, pursues to ensure that exports do not add to the development of chemical or other biological weapons.
Cooperation of national export control measures helps Australia Group participants to complete their commitments under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention to the maximum extent possible.

Impact

India is the biggest entrant into this group. It is also the 1st South Asian country to become its full-time subscriber.
India's entry into the export control regime will increase its credentials in the field of non-proliferation, although, India is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
It is also believed to strengthen India’s bid to join the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group.
Significantly, China, which obstructed India’s entry into the 48-member NSG, is not a subscriber of the Wassenaar Arrangement, MTCR as well as the Australia Group.

Background

India was earlier introduced as the 42nd subscriber of the Wassenaar Arrangement, a crucial multilateral export control regime, on 7th December 2017.
Prior to that in June 2016, India got acknowledged as a full-time subscriber of the Missile Technology Control Regime.
These multilateral export control regimes regulate the biological, conventional, nuclear and chemical weapons and technologies.

Archaeologists discovered world's biggest flooded cave in - Mexico

A group of archaeologists has uncovered the world’s largest flooded cave in Mexico. The archaeologists connected 2 submerged caverns in eastern Mexico to find out what is expected to be the largest flooded cave on the planet.
The finding is a crucial archaeological discovery, as it could assist shed new light on the ancient Maya civilization.

The Discovery

As per the project meant to the study and preservation of the subterranean waters of the Yucatan peninsula, the Great Maya Aquifer Project- GAM, the 347-kilometre long cave was discovered after the long-time of exploring a maze of under-water channels.

During the intense exploration attempts, the group of archaeologists noticed that a cave system known as Sac Actun, which once measured approximately 262 kilometres, connected with the 83 kilometres long Dos Ojos cave system.

The gigantic crossing is so large that it was actually meant to be 2 different cave systems. The Dos Ojos cave system spanning around 83 kilometres was meant primarily to be distinct from Sac Actun.

In the rules of caving, however, Sac Actun now ingests Dos Ojos and its former length to built the world’s largest known underwater cave, defeating the Ox Bel Ha System that grabbed the title earlier with a total expected length of 270 kilometres.

GAM

The Great Maya Aquifer Assignment is a research achievement, which has for decades explored the underwater caves in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, situated on the Caribbean coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula.
The area hosts a stunning 358 underwater cave systems, representing about 1,400 km of flooded freshwater tunnels hidden under the surface.

Which Indian state became first state to unveil public cloud policy - Maharashtra

The state of Maharashtra has become the 1st state to come forward with a public cloud policy, virtually instructing its departments to transfer their data storage onto the cloud, providing a USD 2 billion opportunity for the industry.

The declaration was created by CM Devendra Fadnavis at the Maharashtra Technology Summit on 17th January 2018. Talking on this occasion, the CM informed that the state government has disclosed their public cloud policy that will permit all government departments to access the public cloud.

Importance
The public cloud system is the 1st by any state. It will result into extra private sector investments as the government is one of the largest creators and consumers of data.

As per the estimates, the initiative will form a USD 2-billion opportunity for the industry.

Every government department utilizes data storage. Thus, the virtually compulsory cloud policy will now make data storage more suitable and cost effective in the state.

Background

The state government of Maharashtra had made a 4 members committee to draw a policy framework on cloud usage 2 months ago, which presented a scheme document that's being now accepted as the public cloud policy.

In the framework, the government will make it compulsory for the data to be saved within the nation. The broad focus is to utilize public cloud in cases wherever the Right to Information Act is appropriate and then have increased security features for private and delicate data, which will also be saved on the cloud system.