PERIYAR IAS CURRENT AFFAIRS 4-JULY-2018
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient
aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Meghalaya Celebrates Behdienkhlam Festival
Context: Behdienkhlam, one of the most colourful
festivals of the State, was recently celebrated in the Jaintia Hills,
Meghalaya.
About the festival:
§ Behdienkhlam
is a major festival of the
people in the Jaintia Hills.
§ It is celebrated to invoke the gods for a bumper harvest and
drive away plague.
§ It is the
ritualistic expression of the relentless struggle of mankind to overcome the
destructive forces of nature, including diseases, since the dawn of
civilization.
§ During the
festival, decorated and colourful raths are immersed in ‘Wah Ainar,’ a muddy
pool.
§ The non-Christian ‘Pnar’ people who believe
either in the traditional faith of ‘Niamtre’ or Hinduism observe this festival.
What’s important?
For Prelims: Behdienkhlam, Pnar.
Sources: the hindu.
Paper 2:
Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various
quasi-judicial bodies.
Payments Council of India
Context: Payments Council of India (PCI), an
apex body representing companies in payments and settlement system, has a new
Chairman in Vishwas Patel.
ABOUT PCI:
The Payments Council of India was
formed under
the aegis of IAMAI in the year 2013 catering to the needs
of the digital payment industry.
Functions:
§ The
Council was formed inter-alia for the purposes of representing the various
regulated non-banking payment industry players, to address and help resolve
various industry level issues and barriers which require discussion and action.
§ The
council works with all its members to promote payments industry growth and to
support our national goal of ‘Cash to Less Cash Society’ and ‘Growth of
Financial Inclusion’ which is also the Vision Shared by the RBI and Government
of India.
§ PCI works
closely with the regulators i.e. Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Finance Ministry
and any similar government, departments, bodies or Institution to make ‘India a
less cash society’.
About IAMAI:
§ The
Internet and Mobile Association of India [IAMAI] is a young and vibrant
association with ambitions of representing the entire gamut of digital
businesses in India.
§ It was
established in 2004 by the leading online publishers, but in the last 10 years
has come to effectively address the challenges facing the digital and online
industry including mobile content and services, online publishing, mobile
advertising, online advertising, ecommerce and mobile & digital payments
among others.
§ It is the
only professional industry body representing the online and mobile VAS industry
in India.
§ The
association is registered under the Societies Act and is a recognized
charitable institution in Maharashtra.
What’s important?
For Prelims: PCI, IAMAI.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Issues related to education.
‘Happiness curriculum’ for school students
Context: The Delhi government has launched a
“happiness curriculum” in state-run schools.
About Happiness Curriculum:
§ The
curriculum will be taught to around eight lakh students from nursery up to
Class 8 of all Delhi government schools from the new academic session.
§ The
curriculum involves a “happiness period” of 45 minutes and five minutes of
meditation before each class. It will include meditation, moral values and
mental exercises.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims: Happiness curriculum- where it has been introduced, features.
§ For Mains:
Need, significance and similar innovative measures.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various
quasi-judicial bodies.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
Context: The Khadi and Village Industries
Commission (KVIC) has launched its, in-house developed, single-umbrella
e-marketing system named Khadi Institution Management and Information System
(KIMIS). The system can be accessed from anywhere in the country for the sale
and purchase of Khadi and Village Industries products.
About Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC) is a
statutory body established by an Act of Parliament
(Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956). In April 1957, it took
over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.
Functions: It is an apex organization under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries
within India, which seeks to – “plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist
in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the
rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development
wherever necessary.”
The Commission has three main objectives which guide its
functioning. These are:
§ The Social
Objective – Providing employment in rural areas.
§ The
Economic Objective – Providing salable articles.
§ The Wider
Objective – Creating self-reliance amongst people and building up a strong
rural community spirit.
What’s important?
For Prelims and Mains: KVIC and its important
functions.
Sources: pib.
Topic: mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies
constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
(NCST)
Context: Chairperson NCST Presents Special
Report on “Indira
Sagar Polavaram Project”Affected Tribal People to President of India.
Facts for Prelims:
The report and recommendations are under Article
338A(5)(e) of the Constitution on the measures to be taken by the
Government of Andhra Pradesh for the effective implementation of constitutional
safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic
development of the Scheduled Tribes who are affected on account of Polavaram
Irrigation Project, Andhra Pradesh.
About the project:
Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation
project which has been accorded national
project status by the central government.
§ This dam across the Godavari River is
under construction located in West Godavari District and East Godavari District
in Andhra Pradesh state and its reservoir spreads in parts of Chhattisgarh and
Orissa States also.
§ The
project is multipurpose major terminal reservoir project on river Godavari for
development of Irrigation, Hydropower and drinking water facilities to East
Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, West Godavari and Krishna districts of Andhra
Pradesh.
§ The
project is likely to displace over 1.88 lakh people across 222 villages and so
far, 1,730 persons in six villages have been rehabilitated by the government.
About NCST:
NCST was established by amending Article 338 and
inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th
Amendment) Act, 2003. By this amendment, the erstwhile National
Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two
separate Commissions namely- (i) the National Commission for Scheduled Castes
(NCSC), and (ii) the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
Composition: The term of office of Chairperson,
Vice-Chairperson and each member is three years from the date of assumption of
charge. The Chairperson has been given the rank of Union Cabinet Minister and
the Vice-Chairperson that of a Minister of State and other Members have the
ranks of a Secretary to the Government of India.
Powers: NCST is empowered to investigate and
monitor matters relating to safeguards provided for STs under the Constitution
or under other laws or under Govt. order. The Commission is also authorized to
inquire into specific complaints relating to rights and safeguards of STs and
to participate and advise in the Planning Process relating to socio-economic
development of STs and to evaluate the progress of their development under the
Union and States.
Report: The commission submits its report to
the President annually on the working of safeguards and measures required for
effective implementation of Programmers/ Schemes relating to welfare and
socio-economic development of STs.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims: NCST, Polavaram project.
§ For Mains:
Issues associated with Polavaram project.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of
the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes.
Brus of Mizoram
Context: In a major breakthrough on repatriation
laced Bru persons from Mizoram since 1997, an agreement has been signed by
Government of India, Governments of Mizoram and Tripura and Mizoram Bru
Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF).
§ The
central government will provide financial assistance for rehabilitation of Bru
community members in Mizoram and address their issues of security, education,
livelihood, etc. in consultation with the governments of Mizoram and Tripura.
What’s the issue?
A bout of ethnic violence forced thousands of
people from the Bru tribe to leave their homes in Mizoram. As many as 32,876
people belonging to 5,407 families are living in the refugee camps in the
Jampui Hills of Tripura.
§ The
displaced Bru people from Mizoram have been living in various camps in Tripura
since 1997. In 1997, the murder of a Mizo forest guard at the Dampa Tiger
Reserve in Mizoram’s Mamit district allegedly by Bru militants led to a violent
backlash against the community, forcing several thousand people to flee to
neighbouring Tripura.
§ The Bru
militancy was a reactionary movement against Mizo nationalist groups who had
demanded in the mid-1990s that the Brus be left out of the state’s electoral
rolls, contending that the tribe was not indigenous to Mizoram.
Facts for Prelims:
The Brus, also referred to as the Reangs, are
spread across the northeastern states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and Mizoram.
What’s important?
§ For
Prelims: Bru community.
§ For Mains:
Bru militancy- causes, effects and solutions.
Sources: the hindu.
Topic: Important International institutions,
agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
United Nations Military Observer Group in
India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP)
Context: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
has appointed Major General Jose Eladio Alcain of Uruguay as Chief Military
Observer and Head of Mission for the United Nations Military Observer Group in
India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which monitors the ceasefire in the disputed
Jammu and Kashmir.
About UNMOGIP:
§ UNMOGIP,
one of the oldest UN mission, was deployed in January 1949 to supervise the
ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
§ The tasks
of UNMOGIP have been to observe, to the extent possible, developments
pertaining to the strict observance of the ceasefire of 17 December 1971 and to
report thereon to the Secretary-General.
§ The group,
based in Rawalpindi, is composed of 43 military observers and 23 international
civilian personnel.
India’s position:
§ Since the
Simla Agreement of 1972, India has adopted a non-recognition policy towards
third parties in their bilateral exchanges with Pakistan over the question
regarding the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
§ The
military authorities of Pakistan have continued to lodge alleged ceasefire
violations complaints with UNMOGIP.
§ The
military authorities of India have lodged no complaints since January 1972
limiting the activities of the UN observers on the Indian-administered side of
the Line of Control, though they continue to provide necessary security,
transport and other services to UNMOGIP.
What’s important?
For Prelims and Mains: UNMOGIP- composition,
mandate and India’s stand.
Sources: the hindu.
Facts for Prelims:
Global Mobility Summit:
Context: NITI Aayog, in collaboration with
various ministries and industry partners, is organising ‘MOVE: Global Mobility
Summit’ in New Delhi.
§ Significance: It
will be the first Global Mobility Summit of its kind, with over 1,200 expected
participants from across the world including Government leadership, Industry
leaders, Research Organizations, Academia, Think Tanks and Civil Society
Organisations.
§ Objectives of the summit: To
help drive Government’s goals for vehicle electrification, renewable energy
integration and job growth and also speed up India’s transition to a clean
energy economy.
WAPCOS Limited:
Context: WAPCOS celebrated its 50th foundation day on July 3rd, 2018.
Key facts:
§ WAPCOS
Limited is a MINI RATNA-I Public Sector Enterprise under the aegis of Union
Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.
§ It was
incorporated in 1969 under the Companies act. 1956.
§ The
company provides consultancy services in the fields of water resources, power
and infrastructure.
Cvigil:
What is it? It is a mobile app launched by
the Election Commission of India to enable citizens to report on violation of
election code of conduct. It will be operational only where elections are
announced.
Fighter aircraft Tejas:
Context: India’s homegrown fighter aircraft
Tejas commences operations.
Key facts:
§ Tejas is a
single-seat, single-jet engine, multirole light fighter.
§ It is the
smallest and lightest multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft in the Indian Air
Force.
§ It has
been designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
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