• Harivansh Narayan Singh was recently re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha

• The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha itself from amongst its members.
• Whenever the office of the Deputy Chairman falls vacant, the Rajya Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy.
• The Deputy Chairman vacates his office in any of the following three cases:

1. if he ceases to be a member of the Rajya Sabha;
2. if he resigns by writing to the Chairman; and
3. if he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the members of the Rajya Sabha. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice.

• The Deputy Chairman performs the duties of the Chairman’s office when it is vacant or when the Vice-President acts as President or discharges the functions of the President.
• He also acts as the Chairman when the latter is absent from the sitting of the House.
• In both the cases, he has all the powers of the Chairman.
• It should be emphasised here that the Deputy Chairman is not subordinate to the Chair-man.
• He is directly responsible to the Rajya Sabha.
• Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, while presiding over the House, cannot vote in the first instance; he can only exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie.
• Further, when a resolution for the removal of the Deputy Chairman is under consideration of the House, he cannot preside over a sitting of the House, though he may be present.
• When the Chairman presides over the House, the Deputy Chairman is like any other ordinary member of the House.
• He can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings and vote on any question before the House.
• Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman is also entitled to a regular salary and allowance.
• They are fixed by Parliament and are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.

Panel of Vice-Chairpersons of Rajya Sabha

• Under the Rules of Rajya Sabha, the Chairman nominates from amongst the members a panel of vice-chairpersons.
• Any one of them can preside over the House in the absence of the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman.
• He has the same powers as the Chairman when so presiding. He holds office until a new panel of vice-chairpersons is nominated.
• When a member of the panel of vice-chairpersons is also not present, any other person as determined by the House acts as the Chairman.

• In order to give relief to homebuyers of stalled projects, a Special Window for Completion of Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) investment fund has been created.

SWAMIH Investment Fund

• It will provide last mile funding to the stressed affordable and middle-income housing projects in the country.
• It aims for funding stalled projects that are net-worth positive, including those projects that have been declared as Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) or are pending proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.

• The Environment Ministerial Meeting (EMM) of the G20 countries took place recently under the Presidency of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Representing India, Union Environment, Climate Change and Forest Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar participated in the event.
• He also applauded the launch of Global Initiative to reduce Land Degradation and Coral Reef program and two documents on climate change related to managing emissions and climate change adaptations under the G20 this year.

Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation

• It aims to strengthen the implementation of existing frameworks to prevent, halt, and reverse land degradation within G20 member states and globally, taking into account possible implications on the achievement of other SDGs and adhering to the principle of doing no harm.

Global Coral Reef R&D Accelerator Platform

• It is an innovative action-oriented initiative aimed at creating a global research and development (R&D) program to advance research, innovation and capacity building in all facets of coral reef conservation, restoration, and adaptation, and strengthen ongoing efforts and commitments made to enhance coral reefs conservation and their further degradation.

• Russia has recently inked a pact to test, supply Sputnik V vaccine to India.
• The Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which is piloting Russia’s Sputnik V candidate vaccine, currently in Phase 3 trials, has partnered with the Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to test, and subject to regulatory approvals in India, supply 100 million doses of the vaccine.

Sputnik V vaccine

• It was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
• The vaccine was registered by the Ministry of Health of Russia and became the world’s first registered vaccine against COVID-19 based on the human adenoviral vectors platform.

• The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which seeks to provide statutory status to the DGCA, the BCAS, and the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was passed in Rajya sabha.
• The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is an independent department under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• The main responsibilities of BCAS include laying down standards and measures with respect to security of civil flights in India.
• It lay down the Aviation Security Standards in accordance with Chicago Convention of ICAO.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation.
• DGCA is empowered to impose penalties for safety violation and it co-ordinates with International Civil Aviation Organisation.

• Recently, Government launches Postage Stamp commemorating Mission Shakti's success.
• Mission Shakti is India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT).
• This technological mission was carried out by DRDO.
• The DRDO’s Ballistic Missile Defence interceptor was used in the mission.
• India is a signatory to Outer Space Treaty, and ratified it in 1982.
• This treaty prohibits only weapons of mass destruction in outer space, not ordinary weapons.     

• The scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have predicted a new Solar Cycle.
• It is called Solar Cycle 25, which they believe has begun , will peak in 2025.
• Solar Cycle is the cycle that the Sun’s magnetic field goes through approximately every 11 years.
• It has implications for life and technology on Earth as well as astronauts in space.
• It influences rainfall patterns, or impact radio communications and extreme eruptions can even affect electricity grids on Earth.    

• September 16 is celebrated as World Ozone Day across the world.
• It is to aware people about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and its impact on life.
• The theme for World Ozone Day 2020 is “Ozone for life”.
•  The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna Convention) aimed to promote cooperation on the effects of human activities on ozone layer.
• The Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol are the first and only global environmental treaties to achieve universal ratification, with 197 parties.  

• Recently, India becomes member of UN's ECOSOC body.
• India has been elected as the member of the United Nations’ Commission on Status of Women (CSW).
• The CSW is a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
• The ECOSOC is to advance, three dimensions of sustainable development, the economic, social and environmental, providing overall guidance and coordination.
• The Members are elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly an the presidency of ECOSOC changes annually.
• Four of the five permanent members of the Security Council have been continuously reelected because they provide funding for most of ECOSOC’s budget.