PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS 19-NOVEMBER-2018
Paper 2:
Topic: Development processes and the
development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations,
donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
‘Watan ko Jano’
Context: The Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) had recently organized the programme “Watan Ko Jano”.
About Watan Ko Jano:
What? “Watan Ko Jano” is
sponsored jointly by Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (Kashmir
Cell) and State Rehabilitation Council Social Welfare Department. The programme
aims to give exposure to the youth and children of Jammu and Kashmir about the
cultural and socio-economic development taking place in other parts of the
country.
Who? Youth and children hit by
militancy and from weaker sections of the society have been identified for the
purpose.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: Watan Ko Jano
programme is related to?
§ For Mains: Scheme for the
betterment of weaker section of the society.
Sources: pib.
Topic: Development processes and the
development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations,
donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
Northeast Venture Fund
Context: In a bid to make
Northeast a favourite destination for young Startups, the government has
invited young start-ups to avail the benefits of Northeast Venture Fund.
About Northeast Venture Fund:
What? The Ministry of DoNER had
rolled out “Venture Fund” for anybody who wishes to Startup in the Northeast
region, which would provide a huge financial relief particularly to young
entrepreneurs. Northeast Venture Fund is the first dedicated venture capital fund
for North-Eastern region and the initiative to set it up began in April this
year.
Who? It has been set up by
North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi), which already has
the mandate to encourage entrepreneurship in the region, primarily by offering
support to the first-generation entrepreneurs. In addition, the NEDFi also
performs the role of hand-holding and capacity building.
Significance:
While all the avenues of
livelihood and new ventures are gradually getting exhausted in other parts of
the country and States, the immense unexplored avenues and potentials of North
Eastern region are still available. With its vast unexplored avenues, those
looking for livelihood will soon find a potential enterprise in the Northeast,
particularly in fruit, food, handicraft and tourism industry.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: Venture fund.
§ For Mains: Significance of
North East region.
Sources: pib.
Topic: e-governance- applications,
models, successes, limitations, and potential.
Kerala to get MGNREGS assets
geo- tagged
Context: Kerala is planning to get
assets generated under MGNREGS geo- tagged and perhaps become the first state
to achieve this distinction. The state Rural Development Department has already
geo- tagged over 1 lakh assets.
Need for geotagging:
The scale of rural assets
created under MGNREGA is very large. Since the inception of the programme in
financial year 2006-07, about 2.82 Crore assets have been created under the
programme. On an average, about 30 Lakh Assets are created annually which
includes a variety of works such as water harvesting structures, plantations,
rural infrastructure, flood control measures, individual assets for sustainable
livelihood, community infrastructure and so on.
What is geotagging?
Geotagging is the process of
adding geographical information to various media in the form of metadata. The
data usually consists of coordinates like latitude and longitude, but may even
include bearing, altitude, distance and place names.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: Geo tagging.
§ For Mains: Applications and
Challenges.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: India and its neighbourhood-
relations.
Myanmar dam on border worries
Manipur village
Context: Myanmar is constructing a
dam, called Tuidimjang, on the Twigem river flowing into
Myanmar from Manipur.
What’s the issue?
Since, Tuidimjang dam is being
constructed across a river close to the boundary with India, it has stoked
fears of submergence and water scarcity among border villagers in Kengjoi
subdivison of Manipur’s Chandel district. The topography of the area is such
that nearby Indian villages will be submerged if the dam comes up. The
villagers, dependent on the river, are already facing water scarcity.
Also, the dam is being built by
Myanmar authorities barely 100 metres from the Zero Line separating the two
countries. International rules warrant border countries to check activities in
No Man’s Land – a 150-metre strip on either side of the boundary line.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: Tuidimjang dam.
§ For Mains: Construction of dams
on international boundaries- Issues and solutions.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: India and its neighbourhood-
relations.
Chabahar port
Context: India and Iran have
signed a significant pact which gives New Delhi operational control of a part
of the strategically located Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman for 18 months.
The first phase of the Chabahar port was inaugurated in December last, opening
a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan, bypassing
Pakistan.
Where is Chabahar port?
Iran’s Chabahar port is located
on the Gulf of Oman and is the only oceanic port of the country. The port gives
access to the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations’ southern coast and India can
bypass Pakistan with the Chabahar port becoming functional.
Why Chabahar port is crucial
for India?
§ The first and foremost
significance of the Chabahar port is the fact that India can bypass Pakistan in
transporting goods to Afghanistan. Chabahar port will boost India’s access to
Iran, the key gateway to the International North-South Transport Corridor that
has sea, rail and road routes between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central
Asia.
§ Chabahar port will be
beneficial to India in countering Chinese presence in the Arabian Sea which
China is trying to ensure by helping Pakistan develop the Gwadar port. Gwadar
port is less than 400 km from Chabahar by road and 100 km by sea.
§ With Chabahar port being
developed and operated by India, Iran also becomes a military ally to India.
Chabahar could be used in case China decides to flex its navy muscles by
stationing ships in Gwadar port to reckon its upper hand in the Indian Ocean,
Persian Gulf and Middle East.
§ With Chabahar port becoming
functional, there will be a significant boost in the import of iron ore, sugar
and rice to India. The import cost of oil to India will also see a considerable
decline. India has already increased its crude purchase from Iran since the
West imposed ban on Iran was lifted.
§ Chabahar port will ensure in
the establishment of a politically sustainable connectivity between India and
Afghanistan. This is will, in turn, lead to better economic ties between the
two countries.
§ From a diplomatic perspective,
Chabahar port could be used as a point from where humanitarian operations could
be coordinated.
Way ahead:
Chabahar port is crucial for
India as it is easily accessible from Indian western ports of Mumbai and
Kandla. While, Iran would benefit from increased trade, earn transit fees and
witness major infrastructural investments and developments. Also, development
of Chabahar port will have a multiplier effect on the growth of its economy and
boost foreign investments in the country.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 3:
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy,
Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
World’s First Hyperloop Between
Mumbai and Pune
Context: The Virgin Group has
signed an “intent agreement” with Maharashtra to build a hyperloop
transportation system between Mumbai and Pune, which aims to reduce the travel
time between the two mega cities to 20 minutes from the three hours at present.
The first hyperloop route will link central Pune with the megapolis as well as
the Navi Mumbai international airport.
What is hyperloop
transportation system?
It is a transportation system
where a pod-like vehicle is propelled through a near-vacuum tube connecting
cities at speeds matching that of an aircraft.
The hyperloop concept is a
brainchild of Tesla founder Elon Musk. US-based Hyperloop Transport Technology
(HTT) claimed it costs $40 million per kilometre to build a hyperloop system
while building a high-speed train line would cost almost twice. The hyperloop
system is being designed to transport passengers and freight.
How it operates?
In hyperloop transporation,
custom-designed capsules or pods are expected to zip smoothly through
continuous steel tubes which are held at partial vacuum. The pod which
sandwiches the passenger compartment between an air compressor upfront and a
battery compartment in the rear is supported by air caster skis at the bottom.
The skis float on a thin layer
of air provided under high pressure, eliminating rolling resistance and
allowing for movement of the pods at high speeds. These capsules are expected
to be driverless with estimated speeds of 1,000 km/h. Linear induction motors
that are placed along the tube control the speed of the pod.
Electronically-assisted acceleration and braking determines the speed of the
capsule.
The Problems Plaguing the
Hyperloop:
§ Constructing a tube hundreds of
kilometers long would be an engineering marvel in of itself. However, introducing
a tube hundreds of kilometers long that operates at a near perfect vacuum which
can support the force of capsule weighing thousands of kilograms as it travels
hundreds of kilometers an hour is nothing short of sci-fi fantasy.
§ Small scale experiments reveal
the fundamentals of the idea are sound. Although, in the real world, there are
too many factors that cannot be accounted for with a small scale design. In the
real world, there are tens of thousands of kilograms of atmospheric pressure
which threatens to crush any vacuum chamber.
§ There is also the problem with
thermal expansion which threatens to buckle any large structure without proper
thermal expansion capabilities. The Hyperloop would also be stupendously
expensive. There are many unavoidable problems facing the Hyperloop that
threaten the structural integrity, and every human life on board. The problems
can be addressed, but at a great cost.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Conservation,
environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Compensatory Afforestation Act
Context: The government has
notified the draft Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAF) Rules, 2018 to
facilitate utilisation of over Rs50,000 crore among states to expand India’s
forest cover. The draft rules, which come nearly one and half years after the Compensatory
Afforestation Fund (CAF) Bill was passed by Parliament in July 2016, specify
the activities that would be allowed or restricted in a forest area.
Draft rules:
Utilization of funds: According to the proposed
rules, 80% of the “net present value (NPV)” can be used for forest and wildlife
management activities like assisted natural regeneration, artificial
regeneration (by plantations), protection of plantations and forests, pest and
disease control in forest, forest fire prevention and others. 20% of the NPV,
in a financial year, “shall be utilised for strengthening the forest and
wildlife related infrastructure, capacity building of the personnel of state
forest departments and other associated agencies and organisations involved in
utilisation of these monies”.
Activities allowed: The draft rules also
specified a list of activities that can be undertaken or are not allowed from
the fund. It allows activities like establishment, upgradation and maintenance
of modern nurseries, purchase and maintenance of communication devices,
construction, up-gradation and maintenance of inspection paths. These
activities “shall be taken up in consultation with the Gram Sabha or Van
Sanrakshan Samiti (VSS) or Village Forest Committee as the case may be” and shall
be in consonance with the provisions of FRA 2006.
Activities not allowed: The fund will not be used
for activities like payment of salary, travelling allowances, medical expenses
to regular employees of the state forest department, undertaking foreign visits,
payment for legal services, purchase of cars, construction of residential and
official buildings for officers above forest range officers.
Compensatory Afforestation Fund
Act 2016:
This act provides for setting
up Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) at
both central and state level to ensure expeditious and transparent utilization
of amounts realized in lieu of forest land diverted for non-forest purpose.
The act also seeks to establish
the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund under the Public Account of India,
and a State Compensatory Afforestation Fund under the Public Account of each
state. The payments into the funds include compensatory afforestation, NPV, and
any project-specific payments.
Criticisms:
Environmentalists and forest
rights activists have criticized the draft rules stating they violate the
Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006. They say these will result in further atrocities
and crimes against tribals and forest dwellers. FRA Act mandates that gram sabhas
(village councils) have both the right and the power to protect, manage and
conserve their forests.
What’s important?
§ For Prelims: CAMPA.
§ For Mains: Forest conservation,
role of various stakeholders in conservation.
Sources: the hindu.
Facts for Prelims:
National Banana Festival 2018:
What and where? National Banana
Festival (NBF) 2018 is being held at Kalliyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The
festival plays host to a buyer-seller meet, training programmes, documentary
screenings, photography contest etc. The festival also includes a national
seminar, exhibition, training programmes, farmers’ meet and a host of other
activities.
Who? The festival is organised
by Centre for Innovation in Science and Social action (CISSA) in partnership
with Kalliyoor Grama Panchayat and a host of National and State organisations.
Theatre Olympics:
Context: India is hosting the
8th Edition of Theatre Olympics ‘The Biggest Theatre Celebration of the World’.
What? The Theatre Olympics was
established in 1993 in Delphi, Greece, as the first international theatre
festival. With the tagline ‘Crossing Millennia’, this is an initiative to
connect the cultural past with the present and future, bringing the richness
and diversity of theatre heritage to the experiments and research of
contemporary theatre. The first country to host the Theatre Olympics was Greece
in 1995.
Who? The Theatre Olympics,
being held in India for the first time, is being organised by National School
of Drama, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture.
Sci-tech Oscar Award:
Context: Vikas Sathaye, a
Pune-born person has been honoured with the Scientific and Engineering Academy
Award at the recently held Oscars Scientific and Technical Awards 2018 at
Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California. Sathaye and his team received the
award for his contribution towards conceptualisation, designing, engineering,
and the implementation of the ‘Shotover K1 Camera System’.
About Shotover K1 Camera
System: The Shotover K1 Camera System is a camera mount that is used in aerial
filming. The camera mount gets attached to the base of a helicopter, which
carries the camera and lens. The primary function of the camera mount is to
eliminate any vibration from reaching the camera, thus ensuring a steady
footage.
About the Awards: The Academy’s
Scientific and Technical Awards honor the men, women and companies whose
discoveries and innovations have contributed in significant and lasting ways to
motion pictures.
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