PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS 27-JANUARY-2018
Paper 1:
Topic: Indian culture will cover the
salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to
modern times.
Chhau dance
Context: A traditional Indian
Chhau dance show will be staged at National Palace Museum in Taipei City as
part of efforts to strengthen cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the South
Asian nation. Jointly organized by NPM and India-Taipei Association, “Chhau
Nritya: Dancing Tales from India” will be presented by Sarberiya Milan Sangha
Chhau Nritya Party—a troupe sponsored by New Delhi-headquartered India Council
for Cultural Relations.
About Chhau dance:
Originating in eastern India,
Chhau features dancers in colorful masks and costumes performing movements
inspired by animals, birds, martial arts and tribal and folk customs. The
practice was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Chhau shows typically depict episodes from
classic Hindu epics.
It is found in three styles
named after the location where they are performed, ie. the Purulia Chau of
Bengal, the Seraikella Chau of Jharkhand, and the Mayurbhanj Chau of
Odisha. The dance is traditionally an all males troupe, regionally
celebrated particularly during spring every year.
Sources: et.
Paper 2:
Topic: Development processes and the
development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations,
donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
‘Maitreyi Yatra’
Context: The closing ceremony of
Maitreyi Yatra was recently held.
About Maitreyi Yatra:
What is it? The Maitreyi Yatra is an
exchange programme for schoolchildren as part of a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) between the J&K government and the Ministry of Human Resource
Development.
Objective: The objective of this
programme is to integrate the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of the
country and to promote brotherhood and harmony. It provides a good opportunity
for the youth of J&K to be acquainted with culture, language and development
story of different parts of the country.
Organizers: The Student Exchange
Programme is organized by Ministry of Human Resource development.
Sources: pib.
Topic: Welfare schemes for
vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the
performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies
constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
Context: The Centre has decided to
allow small finance banks and payment banks to offer the Atal Pension Yojana
(APY), which is expected to significantly increase the coverage of the scheme.
This is also expected to strengthen the existing channels of APY distribution.
Background:
Participation in APY not only
builds a pensioned society but also adds sustainable fee income to banks by way
of attractive incentive for mobilising APY. So far, 11 payment banks and 10
small finance banks have received licences from the Reserve Bank of India to
start banking operations in India.
About APY:
What is it?
The Atal Pension Yojana became
operational from June 1, 2015 and is available to all the citizens of India in
the age group of 18-40 years.
Features:
Under the scheme, a subscriber
would receive a minimum guaranteed pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month,
depending upon his contribution, from the age of 60 years. The same pension
would be paid to the spouse of the subscriber and on the demise of both the
subscriber and the spouse, the accumulated pension wealth is returned to the
nominee.
The Central Government would
also co-contribute 50% of the total contribution or Rs. 1000 per annum,
whichever is lower, to each eligible subscriber account, for a period of 5
years, that is, from 2015-16 to 2019-20, to those who join the NPS before 31st
December, 2015 and who are not members of any statutory social security scheme
and who are not Income Tax payers.
Sources: pib.
Topic: Effect of policies and
politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian
diaspora.
China releases Arctic Policy
China has released its Arctic
Policy. The document draws a picture of how China views the economic
possibilities the region offers. With this, China has vowed to actively
participate in Arctic affairs as a “near-Arctic State” and a major stakeholder
in the Arctic.
As per the policy,
specifically, China will mainly focus its attention on four aspects:
§ First, China will participate
in the development of Arctic shipping routes which are composed of the
Northeast Passage, Northwest Passage, and the Central Passage. Noting that “the
Arctic shipping routes are likely to become important transport routes for
international trade” as a result of global warming, China plans to build a
“Polar Silk Road” by developing the Arctic shipping routes. To that
end, China will encourage its enterprises to participate in the infrastructure
construction for these routes and conduct commercial trial voyages.
§ Second, China aims to
participate “in the exploration for and exploitation of oil, gas,
mineral and other non-living resources” in the Arctic. However, the white
paper also places a particular emphasis on nontraditional energy sources.
§ Third, China will start
to utilize fisheries and other living resources and participate in
conservation, since “the Arctic has the potential to become a new fishing
ground in the future.” In recent years, Chinese fishermen have been sailing
farther and farther abroad in search of fertile fishing grounds; including,
unfortunately, illegal fishing.
§ Fourth, China will
develop Arctic tourism, which the paper described as “an emerging
industry.” China will support and encourage “its enterprises to cooperate with
Arctic States in developing tourism in the region” and conduct “training for
and regulates Chinese tourism agencies and professionals involved in Arctic tourism.”
Concerns:
Although Beijing maintained
that China’s Arctic policy is based on the principle of “respect, cooperation,
win-win results and sustainability,” some analysts have raised concerns over
China’s increasing prominence in the region.
Background:
China is an important
stakeholder in Arctic affairs. Geographically, China is a ‘Near-Arctic State’,
one of the continental States that are closest to the Arctic Circle. The
natural conditions of the Arctic and their changes have a direct impact on
China’s climate system and ecological environment, and, in turn, on its
economic interests in agriculture, forestry, fishery, marine industry and other
sectors.
Facts for Prelims:
The land territories in the
Arctic cover an area of about 8 million square kilometres, whose sovereignty
belongs to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the
US. The Arctic Ocean has an area of over 12 million square kilometres, in which
coastal and other countries share maritime rights and interests according to
international law.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 3:
Topic: Awareness in the fields of
IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology.
Scientists clone monkeys
Context: Shanghai scientists have
created two genetically identical long-tailed macaques. The monkeys are named
Hua Hua and Zhong Zhong, a version of the Chinese adjective Zhonghua which
means the “Chinese nation” or “people.” This could be an important tool in medical
research for understanding disease in a species genetically more comparable to
humans.
This is for the first time that
scientists have created cloned primates using the same complicated cloning
technique that made Dolly the sheep in 1996. The technique is called
somatic cell transfer, or SCNT.
Overall, are these the first
primates to be cloned?
Overall, these two are not the
first primates to be cloned. Scientists in 1999 created Tetra, a rhesus monkey,
but used what researchers consider a simpler cloning method that produces a
more limited number of off spring. In Tetra’s case, scientists split the
embryos, much like what happens naturally when identical twins develop.
About somatic cell transfer, or
SCNT:
Under this technique,
scientists reconstruct an unfertilized egg. The researchers remove the egg’s
nucleus — the part of the cell that contains most of its genetic information–
and replace it with the nucleus from another cell. It’s then stimulated to
develop into an embryo, which is transplanted into a surrogate mother. That
same cell cluster can make more genetically matched animals.
New ethical questions:
The birth of these clones also
brings up ethical issues. Humans are in the primate family. With this birth,
these scientists have broken a barrier and that means the technique could, in
theory, be applied to humans.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: awareness in space.
RemoveDebris
Context: RemoveDebris, a mission
that will test different methods to clean up space junk is getting ready for
launch.
About RemoveDebris mission:
RemoveDEBRIS is aimed at
performing key Active Debris Removal (ADR) technology demonstrations (e.g
capture, deorbiting) representative of an operational scenario during a
low-cost mission using novel key technologies for ADR. The project is
co-ordinated by the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey, UK, and
involves the collaboration of a number of mission partners.
The mission will comprise of a
main satellite platform that once in orbit will deploy two CubeSats as
artificial debris targets to demonstrate some of the technologies (net capture,
harpoon capture, vision-based navigation, dragsail de-orbitation).
Background:
Scientists have warned that the
growing problem of space debris is putting spacecraft and astronauts at risk.
It is estimated that there are about half a million pieces of man-made rubbish
orbiting the Earth, ranging from huge defunct satellites, to spent rocket
boosters and nuts and bolts. Any collisions can cause a great deal of damage,
and generate even more pieces of debris.
International space guidelines
suggest that satellites should de-orbit themselves after 25 years – but it is
difficult to ensure everyone plays by the rules.
Sources: et.
Facts for Prelims:
India’s first floating market
in Kolkata:
India’s first floating market
is now open in Kolkata’s Patuli area in West Bengal. Set up by the Kolkata
Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the market functions solely on boats
at the lake in Patuli, where shopkeepers sell fruits, vegetables, fish among
other produce.
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