Overview:

• The remnants of a Bronze Age site that is 5,000-year-old are being discovered by Archaeologists beneath the Buddhist level. The discoveries include an ancient copper smelter.
• This site is said to be one of the most important archaeological sites that is present in the silk road.
• This site also houses a vast complex of Buddhist homes, monasteries, and market areas.
• From this site artifacts have been recovered that date back to the Bronze Age, with some dating back over 3000 years.
• As this site is situated on the Silk Road, a lot of Indian and Chinese products have also been found.
• Afghanistan is trying to unearth the copper that has been found below this site which is causing destruction to this site.
• This site has been photographed by Archaeologists and the relics have also been excavated.
• In 1973-74, the archaeological wealth of this site was discovered by Afghan and Russian geologists.

History of this site

Between the 5th and 7th centuries AD, this site reached its peak. Coins that were used during the period of Mehama and Khingila, the Alchon Hun rulers were found at this site which confirms their presence in this area in 450-500 CE.

In the 8^th century, the decline of this site began in the 8th Century, and 200 years later the settlement was abandoned. Brahman Shahi, the king of Kabul, Jaypaldeva ruled this site during the 10^th century but later this site was burned down by a Ghaznavid invasion.

Citizens of this site

Mes Aynak citizens mostly followed Hinduism and Buddhism. From the Kushan era, the earliest dated Buddhist remains have been found. Later they gave way to Uyghur and T’ang Chinese influences.

Mining lease for this site

In 2007, the China Metallurgical Group (MCC) was granted a 30-year lease for the amount of USD 3 billion. This mine has been estimated by the afghan mining ministry to hold around six million tons of copper. The value of this mine is expected to be billions of dollars, and it will also generate economic activity for the country. But this mine threatens the archaeological remains of this site. In 2001, the Taliban had demolished Buddhist statues that were present on this site, but at present, they have had a change of heart and are willing to preserve this site as it contains copper, and are willing to strike a deal with China for economic benefits.

 

 

Overview:

• The two-day Mahotsav was conducted on 26^th and 27^th March 2022.
• In 2015, the first Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was held.
• After the first Mahotsav held in 2015 received a positive response from the general public and the media, the organization of this festival on a regular basis was started.

The second leg of RSM 2022

The RSM-2022’s second leg will be inaugurated on 29^th March in Warangal. The second leg will be inaugurated by the Telangana governor, Tamilisai Soundararajan.

The third leg of RSM-2022

From 1^st to 3^rd April, this Mahotsav’s third leg will be held in Hyderabad.

About the events conducted

Under this Mahotsav, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is offered to all to see all of the nation’s traditional, folk, classical, tribal, and popular art forms under a single roof. More than 1000 artists perform at this festival. To represent the various regional cultures of the country aangans are set up. The country’s traditional Arts & Crafts are also showcased with various craftsmen setting up stalls to sell and demonstrate their items. Special efforts are made under this festival to select musicians who will be able to demonstrate the region of the host state’s traditional music.

 

 

Overview:

• The Prime Minister also addressed the people who had gathered during the launch of this event.
• This gallery was inaugurated on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas.
• The Prime Minister also paid tributes to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev who were hanged to death on this day by the British.

What will be displayed in the gallery?

The newly inaugurated gallery will depict the contribution of the Indian freedom fighters in the country’s freedom struggle. A holistic view will also be provided by the gallery on the various events that led up to the Independence that the nation achieved in 1947.

The Gallery will also be displaying the contribution of the Indian Revolutionaries who took part in the freedom struggle against the British. Their armed resistance against colonial rule will also be glorified in this gallery.

This aspect of India’s freedom struggle has often not been highlighted in the mainstream narratives that led to the country gaining freedom from the colonizers. This new gallery will also be depicting the intellectual as well as the political backdrop that triggered the freedom movement in the country.

The gallery will display the revolutionary movement’s birth, the spread of this movement across the nation, association of the leaders with this movement, Indian National Army’s formation, Indian Naval Mutiny, etc.

 

 

Overview:

• Narasinghapettai nagaswaram is a classical wind music instrument that is traditionally made in a village near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu.
• On behalf of Thanjavur Musical Instruments Workers Co-operative Cottage Industrial Society Limited, the application for receiving the GI tag was filed by Tamil Nadu’s Nodal Officer for GI Registration of Products.
• Narasinganpettai village-based artisans who inherited these wooden instruments making skills from their forefathers, are manufacturing them through a process that requires specialized skills.
• The nagaswaram that is being used by artists nowadays is named pari nagaswaram and that is longer than the thimiri.

The shape of the nagaswaram

This musical instrument has a body that is cylindrical in shape and takes the shape of a bell at the bottom. This form of the nagaswaram provides volume and tone. The instrument’s length is two and a half feet.

The manufacturing process of Narasinghapettai nagaswaram

Most of the Narasinghapettai nagaswaram is manufactured using the aacha or Hardwickia binata tree. Most of the time, woods from the parts of old houses are also used by the artisans. Drilling machines, along with carpentry tools are also utilized by artisans to manufacture the nagaswarams that are played in various functions like festivals, weddings, fairs, etc.

Overview:

• This event honoured the best films that were released between 1^st March to 31^st December 2021.
• On 1^st February 2022, the voting for nominations concluded and on 8^th February 2022, the nominations were announced.
• The hosts for this ceremony were Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, and Wanda Sykes.
• For the first time since the 83rd Academy Awards held in 2011 that multiple hosts were featured.

Winners

• Best Picture: CODA
• Best Actress: Jessica Chastain for the movie The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
• Best Director was won by Jane Campion for The Power Of The Dog.
• Best Actor: Will Smith for the movie King Richard
• Best Supporting Actress went to Ariana DeBose for the movie West Side Story.
• Best Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur for the movie CODA
• Best Original Screenplay: Bellfast
• Best Adapted Screenplay: CODA
• Best International Feature Film: Drive My Car (Country-Japan)
• Best Documentary Feature: Summer Of Soul
• Best Animated Feature Film: Encanto
• Best Animated Short: The Windshield Wiper
• Best Original Score: Dune
• Best Live Action Short: The Long Goodbye
• Best Cinematography: Dune
• The Queen of Basketball received the award for Best Documentary (Short)
• Best Original Song: No Time To Die (Movie- No Time To Die)
• Best Production Design: Dune
• Best Costume Design: Cruella
• Best Sound: Dune
• Best Makeup and Hair went to the movie The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Best Visual Effects: Dune
• Best Film Editing: Dune

Conclusion

This event was mired with controversy after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for joking about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith who is diagnosed with alopecia.

 

 

Overview:

• This prize is widely considered to be the Nobel Prize for Water.
• Professor Brutsaert was awarded this prize as he has developed methods for quantifying evaporation and the role it plays in the Earth’s energy balance that allows for accurate estimations of how precipitation can evolve.
• This method is of utmost importance to the exposed local communities across the world as they will be needing to predict daily water levels as well as water levels available in the future.

When will the award be handed over?

Even though the award was announced on 22^nd March, this prize will be presented to Professor Brutsaert by Sweden’s King on 31^st August in Stockholm during the World Water Week (23^rd August to 1^st September). He will be receiving a glass statue along with 1 million Swedish krona which is equivalent to around USD 104,000.

About Stockholm International Water Institute

SIWI is a not-for-profit, independent organization that aims to strengthen freshwater governance regionally, globally, locally, and nationally. This organization was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. Torgny Holmgren is the current Executive Director. This organization performs research, provides advisory services, and builds institutional capacity in five areas of transboundary water management, water governance, the water-energy-food nexus, water and climate change, and water economics.

 

 

Overview:

In this exercise, various units of the two navies which include submarines, ships, fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, and helicopters are participating.

Why is this exercise conducted?

This exercise is conducted so that the participating units can sharpen and enhance their operational skills in the maritime sector. The participating units also look to improve their inter-operability so that they can undertake various maritime security operations. The units also demonstrate their commitment, as an integrated force, to the promotion of the region’s security, peace, and stability.

History of this exercise

In 1993, this bilateral naval exercises between the Navies of the two were countries were first initiated. In 2001, the name of the exercise was christened ‘Varuna’ and it has become an important part of the bilateral strategic relationship between India and France.

The objective of the exercise

The scope of this exercise has grown over the years. These exercises provide the navies of both nations with various opportunities to the best possible practices from each other. This exercise plays the role of the significant driver for interactions at the operational level between the navies of India and France. Also, this exercise has highlighted the shared commitment of both countries to the safety, security, and freedom of the global maritime sector.

 

 

Overview

• In the Indian Ocean region, India is the preferred partner for security and this reflects the nation’s ability to play a strategic role in this region.
• The INAS 316’s commissioning has marked another milestone towards the Navy’s commitment to boost maritime surveillance and security in the Indian Ocean Region.

Insignia

This newly commissioned squadron’s insignia depicts a ‘Condor’ that is searching over the sea’s vast bluish expanse. ‘Condors’ are noted around the world for their great sensory abilities, large massive wings, and sharp and powerful talons which represent the aircraft’s capabilities and the anticipated tasks that will be given to the squadron.

About Boeing P-8I

The Boeing P-8I aircraft will be operated by the INAS. P-8I is an aircraft with multi-role Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMR ASW) capabilities. This aircraft can also be equipped with a range of Torpedoes as well as Air-to-Ship Missiles. This aircraft will play an important role in electronic warfare missions, search and rescue, and maritime surveillance and strike. It will also be providing targeting data to the weapon platforms. The aircraft will also be providing surveillance information that is time-critical and will also help in detecting and destroying enemy submarines and ships.

 

 

Overview:

To mark this occasion, a guard of honour of 150-men was presented to the President and a ceremonial parade was held.

About President’s Colour Award

It is the highest award or honour that can be bestowed upon any of India’s military units. This award is also called ′Nishaan′ as it is an emblem that will be worn by the bestowed units’ officers on their left-hand sleeve of the uniform. This awards presentation acts as an acknowledgment of the receiving unit’s meritorious service. Although the practice of carrying the President’s Colour Award into battle has ceased, the custom of receiving, holding, and parading it is still practiced in the Armed Forces. This award can be bestowed on a military unit as a sign of recognition of exceptional service rendered to the country, both during war and peace.

About INS Valsura

In 1942 INS Valsura was established. It is one of Indian Navy’s premier training establishment. INS Valsura has been entrusted with the responsibility of training the sailors and officers who are part of the Indian Navy, and Coast Guard. Foreign countries having a friendly relationship with India are also trained here. Training is imparted on electronics, electrical, information technology, and weapon systems.

 

 

Overview:

• It can be launched from Tu-22M3 bombers or MiG-31K interceptors and can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.
• It has been deployed in Russian airbases in the Southern and Western Military Districts.
• The Kinzhal was first deployed in December 2017 and is one of six new Russian strategic weapons unveiled in 2018 by President Vladimir Putin.
• In 2016, during Russia’s military campaign in Syria the missile was first fired.

Design of the missile

• The missile is designed to hit NATO warships, posing a threat to Russia’s strategic missile systems, as well as destroy NATO missile defence systems, ballistic missile defence ships, and land targets near the Russian borders.
• Its design has been made to destroy and overcome any existing or planned US air and missile defence systems, such as the MIM-104 Patriot, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, and Aegis Combat System.
• The missile’s first stage is most likely shared with the 9K720 Iskander, but the guidance component is unique to this missile. It has the ability to strike both stationary and mobile targets, such as aircraft carriers.
• The missile accelerates to hypersonic speed within seconds of launch and performs movements during the flight to avoid enemy missile defences.
• The Kinzhal’s high speed makes it significantly more effective at penetrating targets than lighter subsonic cruise missiles like the Tomahawk.
• The Kinzhal has more than 432 times the on-cruise kinetic energy of a Tomahawk missile, while being three times as heavy and almost twelve times as fast.

The operational history of the missile

Ten MiG-31Ks capable of firing Kinzhal missiles were on experimental combat duty in May 2018 and were ready to deploy. By the end of December 2018, aircraft armed with Kinzhal missiles had conducted 89 sorties over the Caspian and Black Seas. Crews of MiG-31K Kinzhal missile carriers had performed more than 380 training sorties with the missile by February 2019. The weapon had its debut public appearance in August 2019 during the Aviadarts international contest. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian military said to have used Kinzhal missiles to destroy a Ukrainian armed forces underground weapons facility in Deliatyn.

 

 

Overview:
Approval has also been granted by the DAC for a new and simplified procedure so that procurement from MSMEs and iDEX start-ups can be fast-tracked.
As per the new procedure, the procurement cycle will be of 22 weeks.
In the 2022 Defence Acquisition Procedure, suitable incorporations will be made.
Approval was also given by the DAC for the procedure being made simple for the projects under the Make-II category. This will help in bringing down the time taken for the prototypes to be developed to the signing of the contract in Make-II projects.
The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for Capital Acquisition for the armed forces was also accorded by the DAC and this amounts to Rs 8,357 crore.
According to the DAC, the armed forces will be looking to acquire all their necessary requirements indigenously and imports will be done only during an exceptional case.
Under the AoN for Capital Acquisition accord, Light Vehicles GS 4X4, Night Sight (Image Intensifier), GSAT 7B Satellite, and Air Defence Fire Control Radar (Light) will be procured.
How many items will be procured by the end of the year?
About 25 to 40 items will be ready for procurement by the end of the year after they are successfully prototyped by the iDEX start-ups.

About iDEX
PM Modi launched the iDEX programme in 2018 with the aim of fostering innovations and incorporating advanced technologies in the country’s Armed Forces. The iDEX looks to promote technological development and innovations in the Defence and Aerospace sectors through the engagement of MSMEs, individual innovators, start-ups, R&D institutes, etc

Overview:

• Ex-DUSTLIK’s last edition was conducted in March 2021 in Ranikhet, Uttarakhand.
• To take part in this exercise, the Indian contingent is being represented by a platoon strength of Grenadiers Regiment.
• The Indian regiment will be joined by a contingent of the Uzbekistan Army which is being represented by North Western Military District troops.
• The Grenadiers battalion that will represent India at this exercise is one of the Indian Army’s highly decorated battalions.
• This battalion has a distinction of participating in most Pre and Post-Independence Operations of the Indian army.

The focus of this exercise

This joint exercise between the two armies will focus on Counter-Terrorism operations conducted in semi-urban terrain under a mandate of the United Nations.

Aim of the exercise

This exercise’s training schedule will aim at learning the best practices from each other and sharing drills at a tactical level. The exercise will also aim to boost the cooperation, understanding, and interoperability between the armies of both nations.

This exercise will finish with a validation exercise of 24-hours which will be a testbed for the armies of both nations as they will be undergoing simulated operations-related challenges.

 

 

 

Overview:

• This exercise will see the participation of an Infantry Platoon strength from both the Indian Army and the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF), as well as Company Headquarters.
• The goal of the exercise is to share experiences gained during various operations against hostile forces in a semi-urban environment and enhance the capability to conduct joint operations.
• The contingent of the Indian Army comprises troops from the 2/3 GORKHA RIFLES group (PIRKANTHI Battalion).

Significance of this exercise

Since 2001, Seychelles has hosted Exercise LAMITIYE which is a biennial training exercise. Exercise LAMITIYE with Seychelles is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both nations in the context of the current global situation and growing security concerns in the Indian Ocean Region.

The objective of the exercise

Combat discussions, field training exercises, demonstrations, lectures, and a two-day validation exercise will be part of the 10-day joint exercise. The joint training exercise’s objective is to strengthen and enhance bilateral military ties while also exchanging skills, experiences, and best practices between the two armies.

What types of drills will be conducted under this exercise?

Both sides will plan, train, and execute a series of well-developed tactical drills for neutralizing possible threats that may be encountered in a Semi-Urban setting while demonstrating and utilizing new generation equipment and technology for combined operations. Enhancing tactical skills in defeating enemy troops in a semi-urban environment, as well as strengthening interoperability between forces, will be emphasized.

Overview of Geneva Conventions
The Geneva Conventions codify the ethical and legal international standards for humanitarian treatment of persons impacted by war. Geneva Conventions are a set of four treaties and three additional protocols, which focus on the treatment of civilians and prisoners of war (POW).

Signatories
The Geneva Conventions are ratified by 196 countries, including all member states on United Nations. However, three additional Protocols are not ratified by all countries. For example, the third protocol is only ratified by 79 countries. Further, in 2019, Russia withdrew its declaration under Article 90 of Protocol 1.

First Geneva Convention
Wounded and sick soldiers on land during the war are protected under this Convention. It also extends to medical & religious personnel. There is a draft agreement relating to hospital zones.

Second Geneva Convention
Wounded, sick, and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during the war are protected under this Convention. Hospital ships and medical transports by sea are also covered.

Third Geneva Convention
It applies to prisoners of war (POW). This convention mentions various general protections such as humane treatment, equality across prisoners, conditions of captivity, evacuation of prisoners, food, clothing, hygiene, etc. The right to religious, intellectual, and physical activities of prisoners is also covered under this convention.

Fourth Geneva Convention
It protects civilians, including those in occupied territory. The other three Geneva Conventions were concerned mainly with combatants. But World War II demonstrated the importance of protecting civilians during wartime.

The 2022 Russia-Ukraine war has once again put the spotlight on the Geneva conventions, especially the fourth Convention.

Overview:

• This exam will be conducted in the first week of July by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
• In the first week of April, the application window to apply for this exam will be opened.
• After the exams are conducted, the NTA will prepare a merit list based on which admissions will be given. There will be no common counselling sessions.

High cut-off marks

Recently, a trend of high cut-off marks that were being noticed in central universities such as the Delhi university’s 100 per cent cut-offs will be done away with as the marks of Class 12 will no more be a factor to take admission in the central universities.

The high cut-offs were in trend as CISCE, CBSE, and different state boards have different methods of evaluation patterns which makes it unfair for students who are applying to the central universities as here a diversity in evaluation patterns is followed.

Paper pattern of this exam

This exam will be an MCQ-based computer-based test (CBT). The question standards will be based on the NCERT textbooks. Negative markings will be applicable for incorrect answers.

Sections of this exam

This test will be divided into three sections:

Section A will be the language test under which a student has to select one language under the 13 languages. Section B will be a domain-specific test and the candidates will have to pick 6 out of the 27 domains. Section C is optional having two sub-sections. The sub-section 1 will have general aptitude while sub-section 2 will be a test of 19 uncommon languages which are not included in section A.

Languages offered under Section A

Bengali, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Urdu, Malayalam, Punjabi, Assamese, English, and Odia are the languages offered.

About the initiative

The Dare2eraD TB is comprised of key initiatives which are:

• Indian Tuberculosis Genomic Surveillance Consortium (InTGS).
• Indian TB Knowledge Hub- Webinar Series (InTBK Hub).
• Host Directed therapies against TB.
• Developing of evidence-based regimen so that extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis can be treated.

About InTGS

The InTGS has been proposed on similar lines to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia

About InTBK Hub

This will be a Webinar series that began on World TB Day. It will create a connection between the industry and the academia to discuss various challenges and ideas will be exchanged. Innovations will also be carried forward among all the TB stakeholders.

About Whole Genome Sequencing

To fully understand Mycobacterium tuberculosis’s (Mtb) biological characteristics and the effect that occurs due to mutations on treatment, transmission, and severity of disease, it is necessary to analyse the organism’s genomic data as Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) is continuously gaining traction as a molecular tool which is important for the surveillance of Tuberculosis.

WGS technology’s effective use will allow identification of the origin as well as drug resistance profile TB strains in patients across the nation. Doing this would help in facilitating treatment strategies for better TB transmission control.

Overview:

• The scientific name of this species is Steno bredanensis.
• This species is the only member of the genus Steno.
• Steno in Greek means narrow, which describes the beak of this animal.
• This animal has no sub-species.

Description of this species

This is a large species. The adult of this species ranges from 2.09 to 2.83 metres in length and weighs around 90 to 155 kilograms. The males of this species are larger than the females. The most visible characteristic of this species is its slender nose and conical head. The teeth of this species are also distinctive and they have a roughened surface that is formed due to numerous irregular ridges that are narrow. Its jaw is also very distinct with the lower jaw being white or whitish-pink in colour. The height of the dorsal fin of this species ranges from 18 to 28 centimetres.

The population of this species

This species inhabits the Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Oceans. It is generally found in warm temperate to tropical waters. Fossils belonging to this have been found in Europe and they date back to the early to mid-Pliocene.

Reproduction of this species

A single dolphin is birthed by the rough-toothed dolphins after an unknown gestation period. At birth, the younglings are around 100 centimetres long and for the first five years of their life, they grow rapidly. Between the ages of six and ten, the females of this species reach sexual maturity, and among the males, it is between five to ten years.

Sighting of this species in Indian Waters

The Department of Environment and Forest’s Marine Mammals Research (MMR) team has reported the first-ever sighting of rough-toothed dolphins in the Indian waters around Lakshadweep.

 

 

Overview:

• Due to constant climate change, the marine environment will bear the brunt of the effects.
• In 2021 six marine heatwaves have been witnessed by the Indian Ocean over a 52 days period.
• Out of the six weather-related events the Bay of Bengal faced four.
• In the North Bay of Bengal region, it was observed that there was a rise of 0.5 events per decade rise in heatwave events.
• In the region of the Western Indian Ocean, 1.5 events per decade rise in marine heatwave events was observed.

The study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology

The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) conducted a study that highlighted the dire situation. It showed that 66 Marine Heat Wave events occurred in the western Indian Ocean region and there were 94 events in the Bay of Bengal region between 1982 to 2018.

UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report

A report that was released by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had issued warnings for India. The report stated that by the end of the century 12 Indian coastal cities that include Chennai, Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam, and Kochi could be submerged.

Overview:

• Meteorologists have predicted that the cyclone will move towards the north.
• The name of the cyclone has been given by Sri Lanka and “Ashani” translates to “Wrath” in the Sinhala language.

Reasons for the formation of cyclones over the Bay of Bengal

The sea surface humidity, as well as temperature, is related to the development of cyclones, hence, the Bay of Bengal acts as a good location for the formation of cyclones as this region receives more rainfall along with slow breezes that keep the temperature reasonably warm all year. The warm air currents help in cyclone development as it raises the temperature of the surface.

Naming of cyclones

The names and lists of cyclones are maintained by the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) international council. They also update this list of names. In the original list, only female names were added. In 1979, male names were added to be used for the naming of cyclones. The naming lists are used alternatively. In a rotating fashion, six different lists are being utilized to name the cyclones.

How are cyclones formed?

Cyclogenesis plays an important role in the formation of cyclones. Wet and warm air at the surface of the ocean rises higher. This causes a zone of low pressure near the surface. Due to this, cold air from the surrounding areas flows into the area of low pressure which causes the cold air to turn warm and wet causing it to rise. The cycle continues which results in cloud development. This wind and cloud system then expand as well as rotates which culminates into a cyclone.

 

 

Overview:

• This was started with the objective of giving publicity and promotion to Yoga and its utility.
• The “100 days countdown campaign to International Day of Yoga 2022 for Health, Well-being, and World Peace” campaign will also be promoted by this event.
• Some programmes that will be included in the 100-day celebrations are yoga demonstrations, yoga programmes, seminars, and workshops in India as well as across the globe.
• The benefits of using Namastey App, WHO mYoga App, Y-break App will be propagated during this event.
• Photo contests, discussions, quiz contests will also be held on the MyGov platform.
• As part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the International Day of Yoga on June 21 will feature 75 heritage cultural sites.

About Common Yoga Protocol

To commemorate the 100 days countdown to International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2022, the National Institute of Naturopathy under the Ministry of Ayush will be conducting a yoga session on the theme titled ‘Common Yoga Protocol’ at Aga Khan Palace, Pune on 30^th March. This will be followed by a workshop and a discourse on Yoga for Immunity in the same premises.

Overview:

• The 73^rd foundation day of Rajasthan is being celebrated on Rajasthan Day 2022.
• The largest state by area in India is Rajasthan and it is located in the country’s northwest part.
• 4 percent of the country’s geographical area is covered by Rajasthan.
• This state is home to a huge cultural diversity.
• Jaipur is the capital of this State.
• Rajasthan is India’s seventh-largest state by population.
• Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert is a prominent part of Rajasthan.
• Jaipur is its largest city and other major cities are Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Kota, and Ajmer.
• The state has three national tiger reserves which are Ranthambore National Park (Sawai Madhopur), Sariska Tiger Reserve (Alwar), and Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (Kota).

Border States of Rajasthan

Five Indian states border Rajasthan. They are Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Punjab to the north, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, and Gujarat to the southwest. The state also shares a border with Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces.

What is Rajasthan also known as?

It is also known as the Land of Kings.

What is Rajasthan’s old name?

Rajputana is the old name of this state. This name was given by the British Raj.

 

 

Overview:

• 21^st March was selected to observe this day as 21 signifies the triplication of the 21st chromosome due to which Down syndrome occurs.
• World Down Syndrome Day is observed annually to create public awareness about Down syndrome.
• Down Syndrome babies have an extra chromosome that changes how the body, as well as the brain of the baby, develops. There is an extra chromosome present in the bodies of babies with down syndrome known as Chromosome 21.
• People with down syndrome generally have low IQ and speak slowly as compared to other children.

History of this day

This day was first observed in 2006. In that year the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Down Syndrome worked in tandem with the Down Syndrome International to launch a campaign to generate awareness for this disease.

The UN General Assembly in 2011 adopted a resolution to observe World Down Syndrome Day annually on March 21.

The UNGA decided that this day will be observed annually from 2012.

Theme of 2022

“Inclusion Means” is the theme that has been selected for this year’s World Down Syndrome Day. This theme has been selected so that efforts can be made to include people with down syndrome no and discrimination is done against them.

 

 

Overview:

• This day focuses to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) of the United Nations. SDG 6 looks to ensure sanitation and safe water for all across the globe by 2030.
• This day acts as a reminder for us to take precautionary steps to tackle water crisis across the globe.

The theme of World Water Day 2022

“Groundwater, making the invisible visible” is the theme for this year’s World Water Day. The programs that have been organized for this day will focus on groundwater importance. Many organizations, as well as individuals, are being called upon to create awareness regarding this resource which is continuously depleting.

History of this day

In 1992, during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, the idea to observe this day was first put forward. The UN General Assembly, in 1992, adopted a resolution declaring 22^nd March as World Day for Water. The observation of this day began in 1993.

Aim of this day

This day looks to conserve underground water, protect it from overexploitation as well as generate awareness regarding the pollution that is causing harm to it. The United Nations stated that to survive the effects of climate change, sustainable usage and protection of groundwater should be highlighted.

Overview:

• The gross market borrowing that is estimated for the next financial year is Rs 14.31 lakh crore.
• The planned Rs 8.45 lakh crore borrowing will be targeted in the April to September period.
• 60 percent of the borrowing for FY 2022-23 would be completed in the fiscal year’s first six months.
• For 2021-22, the gross borrowing was Rs 12,05,500 crore.

The objective of the borrowings

The borrowing’s objective is to push the capital expenditure due to which there will be a multiplier effect on the country’s economy.

About Gross borrowings through dated securities

Rs 14,95,000 crore will be the gross market borrowing through dated securities for 2022-23. Considering the month of January 2022’s switch operations, for FY 2022-23 the gross market borrowing through dated securities is expected to be Rs 14,31,352 crore.

How will the borrowing be conducted?

In 26 weekly tranches of Rs 32,000-33,000 crore, the borrowing will be completed. The borrowings will be divided into 2, 5, 7, 10, 14, 30, and 40-year securities as well as Floating Rate Bonds (FRBs) of different tenors. Long-term securities of 14, 30, and 40 years, will account for a major portion of the borrowings. On a fortnightly basis, the FRBs will be issued.

 

 

 

Overview:

• Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan and Piyush Goyal, Commerce and Industry Minister inked the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement via a virtual ceremony.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison were also present during the signing of this agreement.
• This newly signed agreement will help to take the bilateral trade between both countries to USD 45-50 billion from USD 27 billion in the next five years.

Key features of this agreement

For 96.4 percent of exports, zero-duty access to India is being offered by Australia from day one. This will be covering many products that in Australia at present attract 4 to 5 percent customs duty. Various labour-intensive sectors that will be gaining immensely due to this agreement include apparel, textiles, a few fish and agricultural products, footwear, leather, sports goods, furniture, machinery, jewellery, railway wagons, and electrical goods.

India’s trade with Australia

India is the 9th largest trading partner of Australia, while for India, Australia takes the 17th rank among the trading partners. In 2021, the Bilateral trade between both countries in services and goods amounted to USD 27.5 billion.

 

 

Overview:

• Since the first quarter of 2020-21, the interest rate has not been revised.
• On a quarterly basis, the interest rates for small savings schemes are notified.

Rates of the schemes

The annual interest rate for Public Provident Fund (PPF) is 7.1 percent. The annual interest rate for National Savings Certificate (NSC) remains 6.8 percent in the first quarter. The interest for the one-year term deposit scheme will continue to remain at 5.5 percent. The interest rate in the girl child savings scheme named Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana account will remain at 7.6 percent. The interest rate remains at 7.4 percent for the five-year senior citizens’ savings scheme. For the senior citizens’ scheme, the interest is paid on a quarterly basis. 4 percent per annum is the interest rate on savings deposits and it will continue to remain so in the first quarter of the financial year. A range between 5.5 to 6.7 percent remains the interest rate for term deposits of one to five years and it will be paid quarterly. 5.8 percent is the interest rate that will be earned on five-year recurring deposits.

 

 

 

Overview:

This framework has been created as a part of RBI’s objective of deepening digital payments along with providing access to such services to all the citizens of India.

The objective of this system

This system will help in monitoring the availability of various payment acceptance infrastructure such as Quick Response (QR) codes, Points of Sale (PoS) terminals, etc. Doing so will allow monitoring that will support various policy interventions to help optimize payment infrastructure distribution. To achieve the above objectives, it is of utmost importance to have a robust payment acceptance infrastructure available across the country.

The benefits of geo-tagging

Geo-tagging will help capture the payment touch points geographical coordinates. The major benefit of geo-tagging is that it will be providing insights into the digital systems’ regional penetration. It will also further help in monitoring the density of infrastructure across several locations. Along with this, geo-tagging will help in identifying the scopes available for the deployment of additional payment touch points. It will also help in improving digital literacy programmes across the country.

What will be done under the framework?

Under the newly announced framework, Banks, as well as Non-bank Payments System Operators (PSOs), will be capturing and maintaining the geographical coordinates of all payment touch points. Along with this, geo-tagging of Paper-based, Soft QR Codes and PoS terminals should be submitted to RBI.

 

 

Overview:

• With this newly achieved figure, GeM has been ranked among the world’s top five systems for e-public procurement.
• This portal has no Chinese products.
• In 2016 this portal was launched so that all the central ministries and departments can purchase goods and services online.
• Analyzing the current trend, the portal is expected to cross more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore.
• The central public sector enterprises (CPSE) procurement during the current fiscal stood at Rs 43,000 crore.
• Earlier it took the portal four and half years to cross Rs 1 lakh crore, but this time it has been achieved in the current fiscal.
• More than 10,000 start-ups have already registered on this portal.
• The portal also looks to empower the MSMEs of the country.

New features of the GeM Portal

GeM portal is also being integrated with the Panchayati raj institutions so that they can also buy and sell via online mode. Other new features that have been added include a mechanism for buyback that enables the buyers to replace their old products and get an additional discount or buyback.

Top buying states from this portal

Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat are among the top five states which are buying from this portal.

Who is allowed to carry out transactions through the GeM portal?

At present ministries, government departments, state governments, public sector units, and Central Armed Police Forces are allowed to transact through the GeM portal.

Products available

This portal offers a variety of products ranging from office stationery to vehicles. The top categories of products in this portal are computers, automobiles, and office furniture. Other listed services on this portal include waste management, logistics, web casting, transportation, and analytical.

 

 

Overview:

• This milestone has been achieved due to good performance by various sectors such as engineering, petroleum products, jewellery and gems, and chemicals.
• Exports increased by 37 percent to USD 400.8 billion in 2021-22 until March 21, compared to USD 292 billion in 2020-21.
• Earlier, a record of USD 330.07 billion in 2018-19 was reached by outbound shipments.
• During this period imports amounted to USD 589 billion, which leaves a USD 189 billion trade deficit.
• The country had a target of USD 400 billion for merchandise export set for FY2022 which was was achieved with 10 days remaining in the fiscal.
• There’s a chance that the total export for this fiscal might cross USD 410 billion.

Increase in the export of other types of goods

Several goods such as motor vehicles, auto components, buffalo meat, cereal preparations, carpets, rice, and processed fruits saw an increase in their overall exports volumes despite commodity price decline.

Highest contributor

Engineering goods contributed the most. It grew at a nearly 50 percent rate and is expected to touch USD110 billion by FY2022’s end. By 42.8 percent the export of electronics goods rose. By 57.3 percent the jewellery and gems exports rose.

Due to a steady increase in the prices of crude oil, petroleum products exports rose by 147.6 percent.

Along with this inorganic and organic chemicals, meat, readymade garments, dairy products, and marine products saw an increase in exports.

 

 

 

Overview:

• Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a unique identifier that is given to a product, which defines the region of origin of that product.
• This tag also signifies the product’s origin as that region’s intellectual property.
• GI tag is a unique identity that one country cannot claim to be its own.
• Great emphasis has also been placed by the government on connecting farmer producer companies, farmer producing organizations and exporters to create an export hub in Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi.
• The country’s agriculture sector has played an important role in exports, especially during the pandemic thus cementing India’s place as an emerging major global food and agriculture product supplier.

Which GI products are exported from India?

Basmati Rice and Darjeeling Tea are the two most popular products that are exported from India. The government is trying to identify other such products which if marketed properly can reach more buyers across the world.

Trial Shipments of GI Products

Keeping in mind the Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives the government, through the Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA), has been trialling shipments into new markets across the world for certain products like Naga Mircha, Kala Namak rice, Bangalore Rose onion, Assam Kaji Nemu, GI varieties of Mangoes, Nagpur oranges, Bhalia wheat, GI-tagged Shahi Litchi, Bardhaman Sitabhog and Mihidana, Madurai Malli, Jalgaon Banana, Dahanu Gholvad Sapota, Marayoor jaggery, Vazhakulam pineapple, etc.

A lot of new GI products have been exported from the country to various locations across the world in 2021 such as Joynagar Moa from West Bengal to Bahrain. GI tagged products like mangoes, litchis have also been exported to other countries like South Korea, Italy, the UK, the USA, the UAE etc. GI tagged products from the northeast like Mizo Chilli, Meghalaya Khasi Mandarin, etc are also being promoted.

APEDA is constantly working to promote GI products across the world so that they can be exported to a global market.

 

 

 

 

 

Overview:

• This MoU was signed during the visit of S Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister to Colombo.
• Since 23^rd March, a team of the Indian Navy has been training the Navy and Air Force of Sri Lanka in helicopter operations.
• The Sri Lankan pilots are also being familiarised with the Advanced Light Helicopter of India.
• The navies of both the countries also conducted a joint exercise near Colombo. In this exercise, INS Sharda and Sri Lankan OPV Sayurala took part.

Significance of this agreement

This agreement is important for both nations as it will enhance the maritime security cooperation in the region of a part of the Indian Ocean where the rivalry between India and China has taken a centre stage. Recently, India has provided two Dornier aircraft to the Sri Lankan Air Force and a naval floating dock to the Sri Lankan Navy.

About Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC)

MRCCs form a part of an international network that falls under the ambit of the UN’s International Maritime Organisation. The MRCCs monitor the sea lanes and provide quick responses to various emergencies, like vessels in distress, prevention and containing environmental disasters like oil spills, and rescue and evacuation of people. The Search and Rescue Region (SRR) is the responsibility of each country. The MRCCs work is coordinated with the Coast Guard or the Navy of each country and in India, the coordinating agency is the Coast Guard while in Sri Lanka, the Navy plays this role.

About the new MRCC being set up in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s small MRCC will be enhanced by BEL. It will set up advanced software systems so that Sri Lanka’s capacities increase for coordination and communication in its SRR in the Indian Ocean. A grant of USD 6 million has been given by India to set up the MRCC. This enhanced MRCC will be working from the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Navy at Colombo and will have a sub-centre at Hambantota. Along Sri Lanka’s coastline, seven other sub-units will also be set up. In situations that require regional assistance, this MRCC will share information with India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview:

• Both these announcements are a part of the USD 773 billion annual defence budget that the US announced for the year 2023. The White House submitted this budget to the US Congress.
• The USD 1.8 billion has been announced so that an open and free, secure, connected, and resilient Indo-Pacific Region can be supported by the US.
• USD 400 million has been earmarked for the Chinese Malign Influence Fund.
• USD 682 million has also been earmarked for Ukraine which is an increase of USD 219 million from the previous year.

The USA’s role in the Indo-Pacific

In the Indo-Pacific region, the US is continuing to strengthen the role it plays. It is also looking to expand its cooperation with long-time partners and allies. The US will also be looking to include new defence and security, diplomatic, emerging and critical technology as well as supply chain, global health and climate initiatives tie-ups between its partners.

Prioritizing the country’s competition with China

The US has been prioritizing the strategic competition it faces from China and has been working with partners and allies to resist and deter aggression from Beijing and Moscow. China has been identified as a challenge that is being faced.

Outcomes of the BIMSTEC Summit
BIMSTEC Summit 2022’s main outcome was the BIMSTEC Charter’s adoption and signing. This charter formalizes the BIMSTEC grouping into an organization that will have a flag, an emblem, and formally listed principles that are to be adhered to by the member nations. The BIMSTEC leaders also oversaw the signing of 3 different BIMSTEC agreements that represent the progress being achieved by the group in the ongoing cooperation activities. Also, USD 1 million will be provided by India to the BIMSTEC secretariat for increasing its operational budget. The scope of the BIMSTEC scholarship program that is offered by the Nalanda International University is also being expanded.

The agreements signed
The agreements that were signed are:

A BIMSTEC MoU on mutual cooperation for diplomatic training
A BIMSTEC convention on mutual legal assistance related to criminal matters
A MoA on the establishment of the BIMSTEC technology transfer facility.
Progress was also seen regarding the BIMSTEC connectivity agenda with the ‘Master Plan for Transport Connectivity’, being adopted. This plan lays out a framework of guidance for all the connectivity-related activities that will be implemented in this region in the near future.

Main topics of discussion
In this summit, discussions were held regarding the challenges that were faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, BIMSTEC’s progress as a regional group, the uncertainties that are being currently faced within the international system, as well as the establishment of basic mechanisms and institutional structures of the group.

The theme of the summit
“Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People” is the summit’s theme.

BIMSTEC member countries
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal are member countries of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

 

Overview:

• In a ‘Joint Declaration on Privacy and the Protection of Personal Data: Strengthening trust in the digital environment’ the countries have called for rapid technological developments, in the area of digital and information technologies as new challenges are coming up for the protection and privacy of personal data.
• To foster free data flow the key is to harness the opportunities which are presented by the digital economy.
• It must also be ensured by the countries’ respective legal frameworks, that an individual’s right to privacy as well as the protection of personal data is treated as a fundamental freedom and adhered to.

Which are the countries that have called for data protection?

The countries along with the European Union are India, Comoros, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Mauritius, Singapore, South Korea, and Sri Lanka.

Why did this declaration come to the forefront?

The joint declaration has been issued as there is a lack of trust in how data is handled and this has negatively impacted the economies and societies of the respective countries. Due to this communities and individuals are hesitant to adopt new technologies, sharing personal data with commercial exchanges and foreign partners is also becoming a huge challenge. To face this challenge this declaration has been issued so that high data protection and privacy standards can be promoted and will help in the development of the said nations.

 

 

Overview:

• The COP-4 Minamata Convention on Mercury, took place in Bali, Indonesia from 21^st to 25^th March 2022.
• This convention resumed after the conclusion of the first online segment which was held in November 2021.
• The COP-4 convention covered several crucial topics, like the framework to evaluate the Convention’s effectiveness.
• Annex A and B that contain information related to all mercury-added products, and their manufacturing processes were also reviewed.
• Nine decisions were adopted at this convention.
• The implementation of national reporting, international cooperation, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), technical assistance, capacity building, mercury waste thresholds, and releases of mercury are also on schedule.
• Efforts to mainstream gender under all projects, activities, and programs were also focused upon.
• The development of a gender action plan was also discussed.
• Also, during this meeting multilateralism and international cooperation were also reinforced.
• It was also decided to tackle the challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, and waste and pollution.

Aim of the Minamata Convention

This convention aims to protect the environment and human health from the release of mercury, and anthropogenic emissions.

Phasing out of mercury-added products

In this convention, the phasing out of eight mercury-added products like cold cathode fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, paper, photograph film, and propellant for satellites was listed. The dental amalgam phase-down has also benefitted substantially after two additional measures were added to protect the vulnerable populations against mercury use by dental practitioners in bulk form.

Bali Declaration

The “Bali Declaration on Combatting Global Illegal Trade of Mercury” was also presented by the host nation. This political declaration of non-binding nature aims to develop practical tools and enhance international cooperation to share and monitor information, practices, and experiences to combat the illegal mercury trade.

 

 

Overview:

• The name of this area comes from the 1985 Schengen Agreement that was signed in Schengen, Luxembourg.
• This region serves as a single jurisdiction for international travel, with a unified visa policy.
• Of the European Union’s 27-member states, 22 take part in the Schengen Area.

Usage of the Schengen Agreement

Over 400 million EU citizens, as well as non-EU nationals, tourists, businessmen, or other persons who are legally present on the EU territory, are allowed free movement, through this area. Not only does this agreement allows passport-free travel, but it also demands that the nations adopt certain common rules related to migration, thus, allowing refugees and others on visas to move around freely. Under this agreement, the police have been given access to chase all suspected criminals across the borders of the member nations as well as to access a database related to stolen objects and wanted people that are shared among the members. Under this agreement, the states are also allowed to reinstate border checks for the reasons of national security and “public policy for a time period of up to 10 days. Under exceptional circumstances, this can be extended for a maximum time period of up to two years.

Member Nations

Out of 27 EU countries, 22 are members which are Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Lichtenstein, Netherlands, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Sweden.

Of the five remaining EU members Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Cyprus are legally obliged to join in the future. An opt-out has been maintained by Ireland and it instead operates a visa policy of its own. Liechtenstein, Iceland, Switzerland, and Norway, are not EU members but have still signed agreements related to the Schengen Agreement.

Three microstates of Europe San Marino, Monaco, and the Vatican City maintains open borders and thus are considered the Schengen Area’s de facto members. This is due to the fact that it is practically impossible of travelling to or from these countries without transiting through a Schengen member country.

 

 

Who will be attending this summit?

This summit is going to be attended by academicians, entrepreneurs, various industry leaders, policymakers, multiple business chambers, thought leaders, start-ups, industry associations, MSMEs, social impact organizations, and self-help groups from across the globe as well as from India.

What will be discussed at this summit?

The discussions will be conducted by a variety of international as well as national experts on subjects related to opportunities and challenges in the MSME sector amidst the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions will also be held on the role of accelerators and incubators in the growth of MSMEs’, the role of conducive policies contributing to this field as well as non-financial business development services contributing to the competitiveness of MSMEs. Workings of MSME in consortia so as to achieve sustainability will also be discussed at this summit.

A special panel discussion with sustainability being a major point has also been lined up on the themes related to the planet, the people, and profits in the development of the MSME sector.

Discussions regarding the topics of internationalization of Indian MSMEs, competitiveness, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship ecosystem, digital transformation of MSMEs, and emerging opportunities in this sector will be touched upon.

 

 

Overview:

• The industry-wide chips shortage has disrupted the production in the electronics and automotive industries.
• Due to this shortage certain firms have scaled back production
• There is a growing call in the US to decrease the reliance on other countries for semiconductor chips.

About the bill

In June, the Senate had first passed the chips legislation and also authorized USD 190 billion for strengthening the research and technical facility of the country so that it can compete with China. In February, the house had passed its version of this bill. The bills propose various ways of addressing the United States’ competitiveness with China on a wide range of topics, including trade and certain climate policies. The decision of the senate was another step that was taken to fortify the country’s supply chains, increase production in the United States, and outperform China as well as the rest of the globe.

 

 

 

 

 

Impact of the dust storm

 

Overview:

• PM Modi and Scott Morrison, Australian Prime Minister took part in this summit.
• The first Virtual Summit was held in 2020.
• Following the latest virtual summit, the decision has been made to hold summits annually at the Heads of Government level.

About critical minerals and investments sector

Regarding the cooperation in the critical mining sector, an MoU was signed between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) and the Critical Mineral Facilitation Office of Australia. Increased cooperation between Australia’s pension and sovereign fund, known as Future Fund and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India has also been envisaged. The pact also aims to raise India’s trade with Australia.

About defense and security sector

“General Vipin Rawat young defense officers exchange program” set-up has been announced by both the countries. This would help young officers from both countries will be able to familiarise themselves with each other. The Quad grouping and its significance in the Indo-Pacific were also discussed.

About Migration

A letter of intent was also signed between both the countries which aimed to work towards a “Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement.” This agreement will help in facilitating migration between both nations.

About digital and technological sector

Integration of digital payment systems of both nations has been proposed by India. The payments systems are the United Payments Interface of India and the New Payments Platform of Australia. The integration of the systems will help both countries and their respective citizens. There has also been cooperation in the space sector between the nations.

Conclusion

The countries will also look to extend cooperation on various other critical sectors such as climate change, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the International Solar Alliance, etc.

 

 

Overview:

• Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, announced this project in association with the World Meteorological Organisation based in Geneva.
• This project aims to make the alert systems that are already in use in many rich countries available to the planet’s developing countries.
• One-third of the Earth’s population, especially in the countries which are least-developed are not covered by early warning systems.
• 60 per cent of people who are residing in Africa lack coverage.

What is the function of early warning systems?

Early warning systems help in monitoring the atmospheric conditions on land and at sea on a real-time basis. This helps in predicting the upcoming weather events anywhere like in rural areas, cities, coastal regions, mountains, and polar or arid locations.

Importance of early warning systems

It is of utmost importance to expand the usage of early warning systems across the world as doing so will give more time that will allow the people to prepare for deadly disasters such as forest fires, heat waves, tropical storms, flooding, etc that can result from the ongoing climate change.

 

 

Overview:

• China’s Minister of Science and Technology, Wang Zhigang chaired the launch ceremony. He asked the BRICS countries to focus on promoting the fair distribution of vaccines and to increase cooperation among the BRICS countries.
• The panel also discussed various strategies to cooperate among themselves and deal with future pandemics.
• India meets 65-70% of WHO’s vaccine requirements as well as supplies vaccines to more than 150 countries and it has one of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturing industries.
• India will offer its vaccine manufacturing industry to develop vaccines for the BRICS nations as well as the rest of the world.

How will this centre help in developing vaccines?

This newly launched centre will help pool together the advantages of the BRICS countries in the field of vaccine development and research which will boost the capacity of the BRICS countries to control as well as avoid infectious diseases. The BRICS nations will also be able to provide timely help to the other developing nations across the globe.

This centre will also help in generating preclinical and clinical studies, basic R&D, and strengthen the laboratories of the BRICS countries so as to develop them to test the vaccine candidates.

Aim of the R&D Centre

This newly launched vaccine R&D centre will be looking to share experiences and collaborate among countries for mutual benefits. It will also help in accelerating vaccine development. Thus, in the long run, this centre will help save livelihoods and the lives of the citizens of BRICS countries as well as the world.

 

 

Overview:

• On 22^nd March, Gulf Business Summit will be attended by the delegates with the aim of discussing the exploration of investment opportunities in various sectors across Jammu & Kashmir.
• For the first time a Saudi Arabia-based investor has shown interest in business opportunities in Jammu & Kashmir.
• The government of Jammu & Kashmir had signed MoUs in the month of January with various UAE–based companies such as Lulu, Emaar, Al Maya Group, MATU Investments, Century Financial, GL Employment Brokerage LLC, Noon e-commerce, etc.
• Near about 16,000 kanals which is equivalent to 1,999.9 acres of land bank have been opened so that investments can be done in Kashmir.
• As there is a huge significance of Jammu & Kashmir as a major tourism hub, the delegation will also be visiting tourist destinations such as Pahalgam and Gulmarg, to explore business opportunities in these places.
• In this summit, pitch presentations of start-ups, exporters, and women entrepreneurs will be conducted.
• An overview of the silk and cottage industries along with product displays and meets with artisans have also been planned.

Conclusion

This summit falls in line with the government initiatives towards creating favorable infrastructure for the promotion of an entrepreneur-friendly environment and exports from the region.

 

 

Synchronization of the electricity grid
According to an announcement by the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E), electricity grids of Ukraine and Moldova were successfully synchronized with the Continental European Power System on a trial basis.
Preparation for grid synchronization was going on since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. But due to the 2022 Russian invasion, Ukraine put an emergency request to speed up the process, so immediately trials were started.
Now, energy suppliers in the European continental grid, that stretches from Portugal to Poland, can supply electricity to Ukraine during an emergency. This will help in maintaining the stability of the power systems of Ukraine and Moldova.
Also, Ukraine can turn off some of its currently running coal-fired power plants to ensure grid stability and save precious fuel in wartime. In the long run, this grid synchronization allows Ukraine to export its surplus electricity generated by nuclear power plants to other European countries.
About ENTSO-E
European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) represents 39 electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) from 35 countries across Europe.
Thus its members include both European Union (EU) and non-EU member states. ENTSO-E has its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium and it operates the world’s largest interconnected electrical grid.
ENTSO-E was established in 2009 and given legal mandates by the European Union’s third Package for the Internal energy market to liberalize gas and electricity markets.
Dependence on Russia
Ukraine and Moldova were earlier part of the Integrated Power System that also includes Russia and Belarus. This made them dependent on Russia’s grid operator.

 

Synchronization of the electricity grid
According to an announcement by the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E), electricity grids of Ukraine and Moldova were successfully synchronized with the Continental European Power System on a trial basis.
Preparation for grid synchronization was going on since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. But due to the 2022 Russian invasion, Ukraine put an emergency request to speed up the process, so immediately trials were started.
Now, energy suppliers in the European continental grid, that stretches from Portugal to Poland, can supply electricity to Ukraine during an emergency. This will help in maintaining the stability of the power systems of Ukraine and Moldova.
Also, Ukraine can turn off some of its currently running coal-fired power plants to ensure grid stability and save precious fuel in wartime. In the long run, this grid synchronization allows Ukraine to export its surplus electricity generated by nuclear power plants to other European countries.
About ENTSO-E
European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E) represents 39 electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) from 35 countries across Europe.
Thus its members include both European Union (EU) and non-EU member states. ENTSO-E has its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium and it operates the world’s largest interconnected electrical grid.
ENTSO-E was established in 2009 and given legal mandates by the European Union’s third Package for the Internal energy market to liberalize gas and electricity markets.
Dependence on Russia
Ukraine and Moldova were earlier part of the Integrated Power System that also includes Russia and Belarus. This made them dependent on Russia’s grid operator.

 

Overview:

• The US is trying to push its allies to issue fresh sanctions on Russia.
• Due to the sanctions the Russian economy has already been crippled.
• The western countries have unified in confronting Russia after it started invading Ukraine. Whether this unity will survive or not is a matter to be seen as the cost of war is affecting the global economy.
• The energy crisis has intensified due to the war. This is a hot topic at this meeting as the leaders from Portugal, Spain, Greece, and Italy are hoping to get a favourable response.
• The NATO Summit will also be looking to increase the security of the Eastern front.
• NATO summit will also be discussing the usage of biological and chemical weapons by Russia.

Boycotting of Russian energy supplies

Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, has reacted negatively to calls for boycotting energy supplies from Russia. Doing so would cause significant damage to Germany’s economy. The European Union’s executive arm urged the United States to increase liquefied natural gas deliveries to Europe so that the European Union (EU) could reduce dependence on energy supplies from Russia.

Effect of boycotting Russian energy supply

90 percent of the EU’s natural gas that is used to heat homes, generate electricity, and supply industry is imported with 40 percent being supplied by Russia. Huge quantities of oil are also imported from Russia. Hence, boycotting Russian energy supplies will be very harmful to the European Union.

Refugee crisis

The NATO eastern flank countries will be looking to discuss the ways European nations and the US can help to deal with the concerns regarding the refugee crisis due to the war.

 

 

Global scenario

• In 2017-21, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, & China were the five largest arms importers. U.S., Russia, France, China, & Germany were the five biggest arms exporters.
• Top five importers accounted for nearly 38% of global arms imports during the 2017-21 period.
• Top five exporters accounted for nearly 77% of global arms exports during the 2017-21 period.
• The report noted that the volume of global arms transfers during the 2017-21 period was 4.6% less as compared to the 2012-16 period. However, the global arms transfers during the 2017-21 period were 3.9% more as compared to the 2007-11 period.

Data regarding India

According to the report, India is the largest importer of arms globally and in 2017-21, India accounted for 11% of global arms imports. Both 2012-16 and 2017-21 Russia was the largest supplier of arms to India. However, between these two periods, the volume of imports by India from Russia reduced by 47%. During the same period, India’s imports from France increased and France became India’s second-largest supplier of arms.

India’s indigenization efforts

India’s total volume of imports fell by 21% from 2012 to 2016. This demonstrates the push given by the government to promote the manufacturing of arms and weapons systems indigenously. Around 68% of the capital budget for 2022-23 is allocated for domestic manufacturing industries.

Overview:

• Through the use of this software orders that were passed by the high courts (HC) and the Supreme Court (SC) will be transmitted safely without any third-party interference.
• 73 nodal officers have been nominated at the HC level and jail authorities have also been selected through a network of judicial communication.
• For this software a secure pathway email id has also been established.

Usage of this software

Bail orders will be communicated via FASTER and for authentication purposes, it will have the digital signatures of the notified nodal officers of the SC as well as the Institutional digital signatures. In this manner, without much loss of time, bail orders would be received by all the concerned parties and quick necessary actions will be taken at their end. Communication will be restricted to the holders of email ids thus ensuring safety, confidentiality, and security. A total of 1,887 email ids of the selected nodal officers have been connected.

Need for such software

In the past, it was seen that even after bail orders were passed, inmates were not released by the prison authorities as the hard copies of the certified bail orders reached late. Thus, this software was implemented so that Article 21, Right to Life, could be implemented swiftly and the bail orders are executed on time.

 

 

Overview:

• The internship opportunities have been announced with the aim of enhancing the students’ employability skills.
• Technical students, as well as higher education students studying under the University Grants Commission (UGC), would be able to take part in the AICTE internship opportunities.

Who is offering these internship opportunities?

CISCO, Salesforce, RSB Transmission India Limited, and Mahatma Gandhi National Council for Rural Education (MGNCRE) are offering these internship opportunities.

Areas of the internship opportunities

The AICTE internship opportunities are being provided in the fields of programming and networking, cybersecurity, engineering, etc. As part of this internship programme mentoring support, boot camps, and rural management will also be provided with the aim of enhancing employment opportunities.

About AICTE

AICTE is a statutory body as well as a national-level technical education council that falls under the ambit of the Department of Higher Education. This organization was established in 1945 first as an advisory body and in 1987 it was given statutory status. The responsibility of AICTE includes coordinated development and proper planning of the country’s management education and technical education system. AICTE’s headquarters is located in New Delhi. Anil Sahasrabudhe is the chairman of this organization.

About DBT Programme

This initiative was launched by the Indian government on 1^st January 2013 to make reforms to the government’s delivery system. This initiative’s vision is to aid in a simpler and faster flow of funds and information to the beneficiaries across the nation.

Aim of the DBT Programme

The aim of the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) programme is to bring transparency to the subsidies transferred to the beneficiaries across the country through their bank accounts. It also looks to reduce fraud in the delivery system.

Number of DBT transfers done across the nation

For cash-based DBTs, there were 70.6 crore beneficiaries and for kind-based DBTs, there were 74.1 crore beneficiaries in 2019-20. For 2020-21 the cash-based DBTs were 98 crores and kind-based DBTs were 81.9 crores.

About the Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System (CPSMS)

The CPSMS is being implemented by the Controller General of Accounts office. It serves the purpose of a common platform for routing of Direct Benefit Transfers. The beneficiary list can also be prepared by taking the help of the CPSMS, digitally signing, and by using the Aadhaar Payment Bridge, payments are also being processed in the beneficiary’s bank accounts.

 

 

 

 

Overview:

• The fourth foundation day will be celebrated at the Tribal Culture Centre in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
• Arjun Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs will be attending this event.

The aim of NESTS

NESTS started its journey four years back with the aim of providing high-quality education to all the tribal students across the country in their own specific environment.

Milestones of NESTS

In its short journey that commenced in 2019, multiple milestones have been achieved by NESTS. It has also approved the building of 391 new schools. 140 schools are currently under construction and a total of 123 schools have started to function.

Targets of NESTS

NESTS and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs have set up targets to complete the construction of a total of 452 new schools and the pending 67 schools under its old scheme by the year 2025.

The constructed schools will be having state of the art facilities which will be in line with the Navodya Vidyalaya. By The IITs and the NITs of the respective states along with the dedicated teams of NESTS the construction of the schools are being monitored.

 

 

Overview:

• After a three-year-old Dalit boy named Vinay, this scheme has been named.
• Vinay’s family were residents of Koppal District’s Miyapur village. They were fined Rs 25,000 by the leaders of the village in September 2021 for the “offence” caused by the boy for straying into a local temple.
• Along with the fine, the village leaders also imposed a social boycott on the victim’s Dalit family. As a result, the family was forced to flee the area in November, abandoning their agricultural land and house.
• After the incident was brought to light, the Koppal district’s social welfare department filed a report with the local police who then intervened and arrested several accused but they were soon out on bail. After this, the villagers intensified their wrath against the family of three due to which they were forced to leave their land and home.

When will the programme be launched?

The Vinaya Samarasya Yojana will be launched on 14^th April on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

The conviction rate in cases of atrocities against STs and SCs in Karnataka

In Karnataka, the conviction rate in the cases of atrocities done against the Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) stands at only 7 percent. Out of 23,095 such cases that have been registered in Karnataka since 2019, 19,057 cases are still pending.

 

 

Overview:

• In 2018 this project was approved and a deadline of finishing it by October 2020 was set.
• This project has been getting delayed for the last two years not only due to the lockdowns due to the pandemic but also due to content curation as well as civil works issues.
• The total cost of this project is Rs 270-crore.
• In 2021 it was ready to be inaugurated but was delayed due to some last-minute changes to the displays.

What will be showcased in this museum?

This Museum will be covering the life of all of India’s 14 Prime Ministers who have taken up this role so far. Their contribution will also be showcased. The works and collection of Jawaharlal Nehru will however be staying in the Nehru Memorial Museum, which was also his residence at one point in time.

Displays

In this museum speeches, rare photographs, newspapers, video clips, interviews, and original writings will be displayed. There will also be displays of personal belongings like caps, pens, letters, etc as well as interactive digital displays in this museum. Virtual reality and digital displays will be focused upon. This museum has been designed to accommodate all future PMs as well. This museum will be having a ground floor, a first floor, and a basement will all of them being galleries.

 

 

Overview:

• In 2018-19, 19 elephants were killed on railway tracks across the country.
• In 2019-20, 14 elephants were killed and in 2020-21 the number stands at 12.
• Several steps have been taken to reduce the number of elephants’ deaths on railway tracks.
• According to a Comptroller and Auditor General report, the second-largest reason for the deaths of elephants in an unnatural manner was railway collisions.

The steps taken to prevent the deaths of elephants on railway tracks

The steps taken include

• making temporary as well as permanent restrictions on speed in areas identified as elephant habitats and corridors and habitats,
• ramps and underpasses have also been built for the easy movement of elephants,
• at selected locations fencing have been provided,
• signages have been erected to warn the drivers of the trains about elephant corridors,
• station masters and the crew of the trains have been sensitized so that train collisions with elephants are avoided,
• vegetation on the sides of the track has also been cleared,
• Forest Department staff have also been deputized to liaison with the railway authorities,
• the forest departments have engaged elephant trackers so that they can alert engine drivers and station masters,
• Meetings have been held between railway departments and state forest departments.

Publishing of a document

The Wildlife Institute of India, which falls under the ambit of the Environment Ministry, has published a document titled ‘Eco-Friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure’ with the aim of assisting the various agencies in designing infrastructure to reduce animal-human conflicts. This document has been published in consultation with the National Highway Authority, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, World Bank Group, and National Tiger Conservation Authority.

 

 

 

Overview:

• This study has been published in Global Change Biology.
• Dr Hemingson at James Cook University, Queensland, Australia led this newly published study.
• This recently published study has monitored the changes seen in the fish communities’ colouration as well as their living environment.
• According to the researchers, the fish communities’ colour diversity is linked to the local environment’s composition.

Which areas contained fish species with bright colourations?

The study revealed that areas that had a higher concentration of structurally complex corals housed species of fish with more bright and diverse colourations.

Impact of environmental change

Due to global environmental change, the relationship between the colouration of the Great Barrier Reef’s fish communities and the environment is being impacted. Links have been found by researchers between fish and corals that are constantly losing their natural colour.

The green and yellow fish population has dropped at a steady pace by around three quarters over the past 27 years. After the 1998 global coral bleaching event, fish communities’ colouration fell significantly.

Recent reports about the Great Barrier Reef

According to recent reports, bleaching has again occurred in the Great Barrier Reef with higher-than-average ocean temperatures is being a constant threat to them. Surveillance flights have revealed that minor to severe bleaching has occurred due to heat.

 

 

 

Overview:

• This event was organized at ASITA East River Front, ITO Bridge, New Delhi.
• This event was organized to celebrate River Yamuna’s glory and a pledge to keep it clean was announced.
• In this event the people were urged to join hands for cleaning the River Yamuna which is River Ganga’s most important and biggest tributary.
• The Namami Gange Programme which focuses on the Ganga Basin’s main stem is yielding positive results.

Cleaning of the Yamuna River

The current target is the cleaning of the Yamuna River and ensuring that the 3 big sewage treatment plants (STP) that are being constructed are finished by December 2022. This will prevent all dirty water from the drains from falling into the River Yamuna.

Funding for the construction of sewage infrastructure

The funding of the sewerage infrastructure construction for River Yamuna amounts to Rs. 2300 crore is being funded by the NMCG.

Events of Yamunotsav

The events held at Yamunotsav were street plays, live paintings, spiritual and classical performances, dance, music, etc. At this event, Kullads (earthen glasses) were kept at the water stations for the purpose of drinking water and it spread the message of ‘no-plastic.’

Overview:

• In India, Shaheed Diwas is observed on many occasions. Along with 23^rd March, 30^th January, the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, is also observed as Shaheed Diwas.
• On this day people across the nation pay their respect towards the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
• Inspiration is also taken from the struggle the freedom fighters faced to protect and uphold the honour of the country.
• The central, as well as the state governments, have organized several events to pay respect to leaders of the Indian struggle for independence.

History of this day

Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev joined the nation’s freedom struggle. They wanted to avenge Lala Lajpat Rai’s death. Under various charges, the three revolutionaries were arrested including the murder of John Saunders a British police officer in 1928. Their primary target was James Scott, the Superintendent of Police, who had given the order to his men to lathi-charge protesters which lead to the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.

 

 

Overview:

• In September 2021, the government had extended the term of Uday Kotak by six months.
• The term was extended so that continuity could be maintained about the plan being worked out for the crisis-struck organization.
• Uday Kotak is the chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank.

Debt of IL&FS

A debt of around Rs 55,000 crores which is equivalent to 90 percent of the original debt of Rs 61,000 crore has been addressed. IL&FS also maintained its forecast that was made earlier of resolving the debt of Rs 61,000 crore, representing 62 percent of the total fund-based as well as the non-fund-based debt of over Rs 99,000 crore reported in October 2018.

The remaining amount of Rs 6,000 crore will be moved into FY22-23. The headquarters of IL&FS that was located in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai has been sold to Brookfield for an amount of Rs 1,080 crore. After giving the letter of intent, in 2022 the assets will be handed over to Brookfield.

About IL&FS

It is an infrastructure development and finance company that is funded by the government. The insurance companies and the public sector banks created this company. It has more than 250 subsidiaries including IL&FS financial services, IL&FS Investment managers, etc. Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel, India’s longest tunnel, which was opened to the public in April 2017 was funded by this organization. In 2018, the Government of India took control of the company after the company defaulted on its loans.

Overview:

• He will be the first African to have been elected to this post.
• Since 2017, he is serving as the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
• From 2008 to 2012, he served as Togo’s Prime Minister.

Appointment as the Prime Minister of Togo

Following the massive internal conflict due to the 2005 Togolese presidential election, Houngbo was elected to this post and he oversaw political, economic, and social reforms in the country. After concluding his term as the PM, he joined the International Labour Office which is the permanent secretariat of the ILO as Deputy Director-General. Later he moved on to IFAD.

Houngbo’s vision for ILO

Houngbo announced that his vision for the ILO will be working toward a new global social contract, that will be looking to protect and preserve the progress that has been achieved in the fields of social justice over the previous decades. The policy will be centering around global solutions regarding environmental, human, societal, and economic values. He also proposed a programme for global social justice through which the basis for labour laws in the world post-pandemic will be strengthened. Job deficits and social protections were also addressed.

How does ILO elect a new Director-General?

Every 10 years, the ILO elects a new Director-General. The votes for this post are cast by the governing body of ILO which comprises representatives of workers, governments, and employers.

 

GI-tagged agricultural products

There are 150 GI-tagged products in India, which are agricultural and food products. Out of 150 GI-tagged products around 100 registered GI products fall under the category of scheduled agricultural products (cereals, processed products, vegetables, etc). The two most popular GI-tagged agricultural products of India are Darjeeling Tea and Basmati Rice. However, many other GI-tagged products from various states have huge export potential.

Role of APEDA

• Last year, Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the exports of GI-tagged agricultural products such as Kala Namak Rice, Naga Mircha, Bangalore Rose Onion, Nagpur Oranges, Madurai Malli, Jalgaon Banana, etc.
• APEDA organized promotional programs in importing countries in association with foreign retailers. Samples of certain GI-tagged products were sent to some countries to enhance exports.
• APEDA also organized buyer-seller meets to the unique GI products from North East India such as Arunachal Orange, Tripura Queen Pineapple, Karbi Anglong Ginger, etc.

Some notable exports from India

Three GI varieties of Mango from West Bengal were exported to Bahrain and Qatar. GI-tagged Shahi Litchi was exported from the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar to the UK.  GI-tagged Banaganapalle Mango was exported from Andhra Pradesh to South Korea.

Overview:

• The Ministry of Earth Sciences has piloted the Indian Antarctica Bill.
• This bill is expected to help fulfill the nation’s obligations under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources of 1982, the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, and 1998s Treaty of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic.
• This bill is going to be introduced in the Budget Session of the Parliament which is ongoing.
• India’s Antarctic program began in the year 1981 and since then 40 scientific expeditions have been completed.
• India has also built three bases on the continent.

India’s base stations in Antarctica

As of now, India has two fully functioning base stations in Antarctica named Maitri which was established in 1988, and Bharati which was established in 2012. Another one named Dakshin Gangotri was established in 1983 but it is not functional currently.

There are plans to establish another base that will be replacing Maitri as it has outlived its longevity period. The Maitri base needs to be replaced as quickly as possible as it is compromised and even international committees have said that it is no longer environment friendly.

Overview:

• This study is a first-of-its-kind attempt to measure the size of the country’s space economy.
• This study has been conducted by researchers from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Centre for Development Studies (CDS).
• The findings have been reported in a paper titled ‘The Space Economy of India: Its Size and Structure’.

Findings of the study

• Rs 36,794 crore is the figure the researchers have put forward for 2020-21 fiscal.
• The country’s estimated space economy size as a percentage of the nation’s GDP has slipped to 0.19 percent in 2020-21 to from 0.26 percent in 2011-12.
• The major chunk of this economy was taken up by space applications constituting Rs 27061 crore or 73.57 percent in 2020-21. It is followed by space operations which stood at Rs 8218.82 crore or 22.31 percent and manufacturing which stood at Rs 1515.59 crore or 4.12 percent.
• India’s space economy accounts for about 0.23% of the country’s GDP (over 2011-12 to 2020-21).
• In 2020-21 the budget outlay was Rs 9,500 crore, while in the previous fiscal it was Rs 13,033.2 crore.
• The space economy’s size shrunk to Rs 36,794 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 39,802 crore in 2019-20 from Rs 43,397 crore in 2018-19.
• The space budget as a percentage of the country’s GDP slipped to 0.05 percent in 2011-12 from 0.09 percent in 2000-01 and has remained constant since then.
• Taking relation to the GDP India’s spending on space budget is more than Germany, China, Japan, and Italy but is less than Russia and the U.S.

What has the authors relied on to conduct this study?

The authors have relied on Parliament documents, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), data on intellectual property rights, the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) reports, and various other government data, along with Scopus-indexed space publications.

 

 

 

KEY POINTS:

• Al Rihla provides the highest level of precision and reliability on the field of play, having been designed from the inside out utilising data from extensive testing in Adidas labs, wind tunnels, and on-pitch.
• The ball was also created with the environment in mind, with all components carefully considered, and Al Rihla being the first World Cup ball to be constructed entirely of water-based inks and glues.

The game’s ever-increasing pace is reflected in the strong, vibrant colour and visuals placed on a pearlescent background, with speed revealing the spectrum of colour to excite players and fans from grassroots to elite levels throughout the world.

 

 

 

Overview:

Earlier the state was called Orissa but in 2011 the Orissa Bill and Constitution Bill (113rd amendment) was passed by the Lok Sabha and the state was renamed Odisha.

History of this day

The present-day Odisha was a major part of the ancient Kalinga. The epic Kalinga War was witnessed by this region. This war was led by King Ashoka who in 260 BC had invaded and conquered this region. Later, the Mughals invaded and took over this state and from them, in 1803 the British took over power and divided this region into small units.

The northern and western districts were merged with Bengal while the coastal region was the part of Orissa and Bihar. After struggling for decades, on 1^st April 1936, the new province of Odisha came into existence.

Celebrations held on this day

On this day the shops and houses are decorated. Various competitions are organized across the state by local politicians such as fireworks competitions. Different types of cultural programs are also organized to commemorate this day.

 

 

Overview:

• In the year 1958, AFSPA was enacted with the aim of bringing the situation under control in all the conflict-hit areas of the country.
• Under the AFSPA law, the armed forces are allowed to use any means that is deemed necessary to maintain public order in the states where AFSPA is applicable.
• Under AFSPA, the Armed Forces can cause deaths, destroy structures that are being used as hideouts, training camps, or launch pads and also arrest anyone without having a warrant.

Changes in AFSPA

In Assam

In Assam, from 23 districts AFSPA will be removed while in one district it will be applied partially.

In Manipur

In the state of Manipur, from 15 police stations in 6 districts, the AFSPA jurisdiction will be removed

In Arunachal Pradesh

In this state, in only 3 districts AFSPA will be applicable along with the jurisdiction of two police stations in another district.

In Nagaland

From 15 police stations in 7 districts of Nagaland, the jurisdiction of AFSPA will be removed.

The demand to repeal AFSPA

The demand gained momentum in Nagaland after 6 coal mine laborers were killed by an ambush by security forces while they were returning to their village of Oting. In 2021, the security forces also opened fire on six civilians who were traveling in a truck in Nagaland after mistaking them to be terrorists of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN). The citizens then started protesting after being anguished by the loss and massive violence broke out.

Later, a five-member Committee was constituted by the Centre to look into the withdrawal of AFSPA law in the state of Nagaland. Home Minister Amit Shah also held key meetings with the respective Chief Ministers of the states.

 

 

 

 

The objective of the Edict

The Edict’s objective is to enlighten the future as well as Chandigarh’s present citizens regarding the basic concepts related to the city’s planning so that they can become its guardians and saviours thus saving the city from the whims of individuals. This Edict also sets out certain basic ideas that are related to the city’s planning.

What does the Edict say regarding statues?

This Edict states that the age of statues is no more. It also mentions that no personal statues in the parks of Chandigarh or even the city shall be erected. According to the Edict, Chandigarh has been planned in such a way that it intends to radiate a new sublimated spirit of art. Any form of personal remembrance should be limited to carefully placed bronze plaques and statues are strictly prohibited. Hence, the placing of Martyr’s statue at Punjab’s assembly will violate the edict.

Other prohibitions by the Edict?

The Edict has specified a set of things that are permitted and those that are prohibited. Along with the ban on placing statues, this Edict also completely bans commercialization and noise at Sukhna Lake. The Edict also talks about certain parks in Chandigarh such as Rajendra Park, Leisure Valley, etc. and no permission are to be given to unplanned buildings.

 

 

Overview:

• In an area of nearly 3000 acres and spread across 17 locations in Delhi the world-class city forests will be developed.
• In 15 days, a plan will be chalked out and will be submitted to the Chief Minister of Delhi.
• Along with the seventeen city forests, 5000 thousand parks in Delhi will be developed by the Delhi government.

About Mukhyamantri Park Saundaryakaran Yojna

Under Mukhyamantri Park Saundaryakaran Yojna, 1500 parks across the capital are being transformed. This is being done in association with 450 Resident Welfare Association (RWAs) under an initiative for community parks. Parks having more than 500 acres are being developed by the Delhi Parks and Gardens Society in association with NGOs, RWAs, and MLAs.

16,828 parks have been targeted to be surveyed in Delhi out of which 6,396 parks have already been surveyed. Out of the surveyed parks, 3,565 parks have been identified as not being up to standards. After surveying appropriate steps will be taken to transform them into world-class parks.

Vision for Delhi@2047

Under the Delhi@2047 vision of the government to make the capital a sustainable, and modern city, the government has launched Community Parks Initiative with the objective of transforming Delhi’s neighbourhood parks into world-class standards. These parks will improve the region’s ecology and overall quality of life.

Facilities that will be available

At these parks, there will be CCTVs, adequate lighting, a play area for toddlers, adolescents and children, toilets, gazebos, open-air gyms, jogging, walking, and cycling tracks, covered seating area, composting, water bodies, irrigation supply, rainwater harvesting facilities, native trees, flowers and shrubs, and power backup available. 

Overview:

• This survey was presented in Delhi’s state Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
• In 2021-22, Delhi’s per capita income was three times that of the national average, increasing by 16.81 percent year-on-year growth to Rs 4,01,982.
• Earlier during 2020-21, the per capita income of Delhi stood at Rs 3,44,136.
• Delhi’s per capita income is ranked 3^rd among all the States and UTs. At the 1^st place is Goa and at the 2^nd place is Sikkim.

Other facts presented under this survey

Delhi has registered 10.23 percent GDP growth in the 2021-22 financial year while during this period 8.9 percent was the national growth rate. On the financial parameters, Delhi also fared better and recorded a revenue surplus of Rs 1,450 crore in 2021-22 but registered a 0.04 percent decline. Also, the fiscal deficit of the state increased to Rs 9,972.96 crore during 2020-21 as compared to Rs 3,227.79 crore in 2019-20.

According to this survey, as of 31 March 2022, the total number of motor vehicles on road in Delhi was 122.53 lakh, showing a growth of 3.03 percent year-on-year. In 2021 the tree and forest cover area also increased to 342 sq km.

Outcome Budget

Outcome Budget is the Kejriwal Government’s annual exercise that is presented to ensure accountability and transparency in public spending.

Facts presented under the outcome budget

Education

As per the 2021-22 outcome budget, students studying in Delhi Government Schools have increased to 18 lakhs from 15 lakh. Delhi Board School Education (DBSE) has been set up by the government of Delhi with 30 schools being made affiliated with it. According to the outcome budget, the establishment work of the Delhi Sports University is progressing with 80 acres of land having been notified in Hirankudna for the campus. Delhi Teachers University has also been established to cater to the needs required for improving teacher education.

Hospital Infrastructure

The number of hospital beds has been increased to 13,844 beds in Dec’ 21 to 10,055 in 2019-20 across all the government hospitals of the Delhi government. Oxygen beds have also been increased to 9243 beds in Dec’ 21 from 3865 beds in 2019-20.

COVID-19 Vaccine

According to the report, 100% of Delhi’s population has received the first dose of the COVID vaccine. The second dose of the COVID vaccine has been received by 90 percent of the population and 70 percent of Delhi’s teenagers have received both doses.

Transport sector

Delhi has already emerged as India’s Electric Vehicle (EV) capital and has become the country’s first state or UT to cross the 10 percent mark of new EV vehicles registered.

Overview:

• This bill looks to prevent the conversion of a person’s religion through force, fraudulent methods, allurement or under the guise of marriage.
• Similar Bills have also been passed in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
• The Bill was first tabled on 4^th March.
• The state government has said that a person changing religion on their free will not be penalized under this new bill, but it will look out to protect a person from forceful conversions.

Provisions under this bill

According to this Bill, if the conversion is done by force, allurement, or fraudulent methods then the person responsible for such acts can be imprisoned for one to five years and a minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh will be made applicable.

The Bill states that whoever attempts to convert a woman, a minor, or a person from the Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes, will be handed out a punishment that includes imprisonment for a term period of a minimum of four years and that can extend to 10 years. The person will also be liable to pay a fine of minimum Rs 3 lakh.

Overview:

• The aim of AquaMAP is to provide solutions regarding the challenges faced due to water problems by implementing smart water management practices.
• The water management practices will also be implemented across various fields across the nation and they will be used as scalable models for innovative management technologies.
• AquaMAP, a national water centre under which IIT Madras is collaborating with IIT Dharwad on the broad theme of ‘Data Science for Water Security and Agriculture Sustenance.’

Aim of AquaMAP

AquaMAP looks to achieve:

• The capability to address real-life water problems which are complex in nature through a consortium approach.
• It looks to establish as an entity that can deliver solutions having various applications and wide impact.
• It looks to complete pilot studies in a minimum of six water innovation villages or towns, that can then be showcased as models which can be replicated for policy implementation and water management, within India.
• It will also look to address a minimum of three chronic water issues through various Grand Challenges and their transition into pilot projects.
• A state-of-the-art Hydro-Informatics Laboratory will also be set-up under this project.
• Community and Alumni Engagement Model will also be established.

AquaMAP Team

Ligy Philip, who is also the dean(planning) at IIT Madras, is the principal investigator of AquaMAP. 20 faculty members working on water-related issues and drawn from diverse departments such as Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Management, Mechanical Engineering, and Humanities and Social Sciences will be supporting Ligy Philip.

Also, a governing body which will be chaired by the IIT Madras director as well as an advisory board with many eminent people in this field of water technology, policy and management will also be a part of AquaMAP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview:

• This Mela attracts more than a million visitors including thousands of overseas visitors.
• This Mela is the largest crafts fair in the world, showcasing the rich diversity of India’s handlooms, handicrafts, and cultural fabric.
• This Mela is an international artisan fair that is one-of-a-kind and provides a platform for artists from across the globe to demonstrate their creativity and culture.
• Haryana’s Tourism Department hosts this Mela at Surajkund annually, and it attracts travellers of all ages.

About Surajkund Mela 2022

This year’s Mela is being held from 19^th March to 4^th April 2022. The aim of this festival is to promote the vast culture and talent of the nation’s indigenous artisans.

Ethnic cuisines from across the globe are served at the multi-cuisine Food Courts in this Mela. There are specialized areas for adventure sports, amusement, and thrill rides, which makes this Mela a major tourist attraction.

The partner nation of this year’s Mela is Uzbekistan.

The theme state of the Surajkund Mela 2022

Jammu & Kashmir, is presenting its rich legacy and distinct culture via handicrafts and art forms and is the theme state of the Surajkund Mela 2022. Hundreds of artists from Jammu and Kashmiri will perform various indigenous performances to enchant the audience, ranging from exquisite crafts to traditional dances.

Preparation of MCAP
Before the preparation of MCAP, a vulnerability assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) and natural green cover inventory was conducted. World Resources Institute (WRI), India, and the C40 Cities network provided technical support to BMC for the preparation of the plan.

Highlights of MCAP
The MCAP has laid down a 30-year roadmap for Mumbai to tackle the challenges of climate change. It has set short-, medium- and long-term climate goals to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2050. It has identified six strategic areas where massive changes will have to be made over the next 30 years.

Energy
The main focus of MCAP will be decarbonizing Mumbai’s energy grid. This is important because 95% of Mumbai’s energy needs are met by fossil fuel sources. MCAP envisages 90% of Mumbai’s energy from renewable sources by 2050. The city will also explore energy sources like tidal power, green hydrogen, etc. There is a plan to shift from LPG to other cleaner methods such as electrified cooktops. MCAP also encourages green buildings.

Transport
The transport sector contributes to a major portion of Mumbai’s emissions. MCAP proposes giving a push to public transport and non-motorized transport. There is a plan to purchase 2,100 electric buses by 2023. Incentives like a reduction in toll charges, parking fees, etc. will be offered to electric vehicles.

Waste management
Every day BMC manages an average of 5,500 million tonnes of solid waste. Even though Solid waste’s contribution to emissions is less, it is the biggest health concern in the city. Thus, there is a need to reduce the quantity of waste generated. The plan proposes a “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” approach. There is a plan to phase out the usage of single-use plastics by 2025.

Air quality
MCAP aims to improve monitoring and forecasting of air quality and also prescribe sector-specific strategies to reduce emissions. Some proposed strategies include reducing traffic congestion by adopting better management systems, banning entry of heavy vehicles during peak hours, promoting renewable energy in industrial units and power plants, etc.

Urban greening and biodiversity
MCAP aims to increase the green cover to 30-40% of the surface area of Mumbai by 2030. It also proposes increasing budget allocation for urban greening, raising funds through green bonds, offering property tax rebates to housing societies that promote urban greening, etc.

Urban flooding and water resource management
MCAP proposes building flood-resilient infrastructure. It also plans to promote water conservation through increasing permeable surfaces, reducing surface run-off of water, making rooftop rainwater harvesting mandatory, etc.

About the digital water data bank

• The Digital water data bank is a list of water data sourced from various institutions.
• It provides reliable information and insights regarding the various aspects of water.
• It helps in making evidence-based policies and decisions to achieve a water-secure world.
• This data will help tackle some common development challenges and water pollution. It also helps in improving service delivery, sustaining water resources, & building resilience.

About AQVERIUM

• AQVERIUM is India’s first-ever digital water data bank. It is an initiative of AquaKraft Ventures, a company that has expertise in sustainable initiatives to provide drinking water and sanitation to all.
• AQVERIUM intends to train around one million youth in water, sanitation, hydro-geological sciences, and data sciences. It is a unique innovation combining sustainable technologies along with IT, skill development, and entrepreneurship.
• A unique social franchising model is also offered by the company. The objective is to create ‘water entrepreneurs’ and make India ‘Water Positive’ by 2030.

Achieving water security is crucial for India to become a USD 5 trillion economy. At present, the Indian water market is highly unorganized and there is a need for a comprehensive 360-degrees approach towards water management.