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Current Affairs 21.11.2023

  1. Indian Heritage

 

  1. Culture

Sant Mirabai Janmotsav’

eerabai Jayanti is celebrated to honor the birth of the 16th century mystic poet, Meera bai, who was a devoted follower of Lord Krishna. This year, it will be celebrated on October 28, 2023. Meera bai’s devotion towards Lord Krishna grew after the death

he got married in the year 1516 to the son of Rana Sanga and the prince of Mewar named Bhoj Raj. Her husband got injured while battling with the Delhi Sultanate in the year 1518. Due to his long term illness, he died early in the year 1521. Her devotion towards Lord Krishna increased after the death of her husband. She used to visit temples and inclined towards spirituality. She started attending the bhajans and kirtans in which she used to dance in front of the Krishna Bhakts. The in laws of Meerabai never liked the way she was living her life and because of that they tried to kill her many times but every time she was saved by Lord Krishna.

She was rebellious in the society as people never liked her religious activities as she was a widow and also princess so they always wanted her to follow the rules of the society. She started spending her time in the temples and meeting the sages and saints so that she could listen more stories about Lord Krishna. During that time, she started composing many devotional songs dedicated to Lord Krishna.

  1. Modern Indian history
  1. The Freedom Struggle

 

  1. Post-independence
  1. Indian Society
  1. population and associated issues
  2. poverty and developmental issues

C.urbanization

  1. Geographical features

8.Indian Constitution

 

  1. Polity

 

 

 

 

  1. Governance
  2. institutions

National Commission for Scheduled Castes

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is an Indian constitutional body established with a view to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes and Anglo Indian communities to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution. Article 338 of the Indian constitution deals with National Commission for Scheduled Castes.

Functions and Duties of the Commission

.1 The functions, duties and power of the Commission have been laid down in clauses(5), (8) and (9) of the Article 338 of the Constitution. (Annexure-1I)

Clause (5): It shall be the duty of the Commission: –

  1. to investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards;
  2. to inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes;

this is

  1. to participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State;
  2. to present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards;
  3. to make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes; and
  4. to discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the Scheduled Castes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by the rule specify.

Clause (8) – The Commission shall, while investigating any matter referred to in sub-clause (a) or inquiring into any complaint referred to in sub-clause (b) of clause (5), have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit and in particular in respect of the following matters, namely:-

  • summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath;

(b) requiring the discovery and production of any documents;

(c ) receiving evidence on affidavits;

(d) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office;

(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents;

(f) any other matter which the President may by rule, determine;

Clause (9)- The Union and every State Government shall consult the Commission on all major policy matters affecting Scheduled Castes

 

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR was established in March 2007 under an Act of Parliament (December 2005) under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. The commission’s mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programs and administrative systems conform to the vision of the rights of the child as enunciated in the Constitution of India as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. A child is defined as a person falling in the age group of 0 to 18 years.

The Commission envisages a rights-based perspective, which flows into national policies and programmes, including defined responses at the state, district and block levels, taking into account the specifics and strengths of each region. For the purpose of this, it is intended to make deep penetration into the communities and families of and it is expected that the collective experience gained in the field will be considered by all the authorities at the higher level. Thus, the Commission envisages an indispensable role for the state to ensure children and their well-being, strong institution-building processes, respect for local bodies and decentralization at the community level and greater social concern in this direction.

Functions and Powers

The Functions of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights as laid out in the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act,2005 are as follow:

  1. Examine and review the safeguards provided by or under any law for the time being in force for the protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation;
  2. Present to be central government, annually and at such other intervals, as the commission may deem fit, reports upon working of those safeguards;
  3. Inquire into violation of child rights and recommend initiation of proceedings in such cases;
  4. Examine all factors that inhibit the enjoyment of rights of children affected by terrorism, communal violence, riots, natural disaster, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, trafficking, maltreatment, torture and exploitation, pornography and prostitution and recommend appropriate remedial measures;
  5. Look into the matters relating to the children in need of special care and protection including children in distress, marginalized and disadvantaged children, children in conflict with law, juveniles children without family and children of prisoners and recommend appropriate remedial measures;
  6. Study treaties and other international instruments and undertake periodical review of existing policies, programmes and other activities on child rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation in the best interest of children;
  7. Undertake and promote research in the field of child rights;
  8. Spread child rights literacy among various section of society and promote awareness of the safeguards available for protection of these rights through publications, the media, seminar and other available means;
  9. Inspect or cause to be inspected any juveniles custodial home, or any other place of residence or institution meant for children, under the control of the Central Government or any State Government or any other authority, including any institution run by a social organization; Where children are detained or lodged for the purpose of treatment, reformation or protection and take up with these authorities for remedial action, if found necessary;
  10. Inquire into complaints and take suo motu notice of matter relating to :
    • Deprivation and violation of child rights;
    • Non implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children;
    • Non compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships to and ensuring welfare of the children and provide relief to such children;
    • Or take up the issues rising out of such matters with appropriate authorities.
  11. Such other functions as it may consider necessary for the promotion of Child Rights and any other matter incidental to the above function. A state commission or any other commission duly constituted under any law for the time being in force.
  12. The Commission shall not enquire into any matter which is pending before a State Commission or any other Commission duly constituted under any law for the time being in force.
  13. Analyse existing law, policy and practice to assess compliance with Convention on the rights of the Child, undertake inquiries and produce reports on any aspects of policy or practice affecting childrenand comment on proposed new legislation related to child rights.
  14. Present to the Central Government annually and at such other intervals as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards.
  15. Undertake formal investigation where concern has been expressed either by children themselved or by concerned person on their behalf.
  16. Promote, respect and serious consideration of the views of children in its work and in that of all Government Departments and Organisations dealing with Child.
  17. Produce and disseminate information about child rights.
  18. Compile and analyse data on children.
  19. Promote the incorporation of child rights into the school curriculum, training of teachers or personnel dealing with children.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI)

ompetition is the best means of ensuring that the ‘Common Man’ or ‘Aam Aadmi’ has access to the broadest range of goods and services at the most competitive prices. With increased competition, producers will have maximum incentive to innovate and specialize. This would result in reduced costs and wider choice to consumers. A fair competition in market is essential to achieve this objective. Our goal is to create and sustain fair competition in the economy that will provide a ‘level playing field’ to the producers and make the markets work for the welfare of the consumers.

The Competition Act

The Competition Act, 2002, as amended by the Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007, follows the philosophy of modern competition laws. The Act prohibits anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position by enterprises and regulates combinations (acquisition, acquiring of control and M&A), which causes or likely to cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition within India.

Competition Commission of India

The objectives of the Act are sought to be achieved through the Competition Commission of India, which has been established by the Central Government with effect from 14th October 2003. CCI consists of a Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.

It is the duty of the Commission to eliminate practices having adverse effect on competition, promote and sustain competition, protect the interests of consumers and ensure freedom of trade in the markets of India.

The Commission is also required to give opinion on competition issues on a reference received from a statutory authority established under any law and to undertake competition advocacy, create public awareness and impart training on competition issues.

 

  1. regulatory
  2. Government policies
  3. role of NGOs
  4. measures
  5. Social Justice
  6. Welfare schemes

Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra

 It has been the constant endeavor of the Prime Minister to attain saturation of flagship schemes of the government by ensuring that the benefits of these schemes reach all targeted beneficiaries in a time-bound manner. In a major step towards the attainment of this aim of saturation of schemes, the Prime Minister launched ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

The focus of the Yatra will be on reaching out to people, creating awareness and providing benefits of welfare schemes like sanitation facilities, essential financial services, electricity connections, access to LPG cylinders, housing for the poor, food security, proper nutrition, reliable healthcare, clean drinking water, etc. Enrolment of potential beneficiaries will be done through details ascertained during the Yatra.

The Prime Minister flagged off IEC (Information, Education and Communication) vans in Khunti, Jharkhand, marking the launch of  ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’. The Yatra will start from districts with significant tribal populations initially and by 25th January 2024 and will cover all districts across the country.

PM PVTG Mission

During the programme, the Prime Minister also launched the first of its kind initiative – ‘Pradhan Mantri Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PM PVTG) Development Mission’. There are 75 PVTGs in 18 States & UTs living in 22,544 villages (220 districts) having a population of around 28 lakhs.

These tribes stay in scattered, remote & inaccessible habitations, often in forest areas and hence a mission with a budget of about Rs 24,000 crore is planned to saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

In addition, separately, saturation will be ensured for  PMJAY, Sickle Cell Disease Elimination, TB Elimination, 100% immunization, PM Surakshit Matritva Yojana, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, PM Poshan, PM Jan Dhan Yojana etc.

15th installment of PM-KISAN and other development initiatives

In a step that will showcase yet another example of the commitment of the Prime Minister towards the welfare of farmers, the 15th installment amount of about Rs 18,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), was released through direct benefits transfer to more than 8 crore beneficiaries. Under the scheme, till now, more than Rs. 2.62 lakh crores have been transferred to farmers’ accounts in 14 installments.

The Prime Minister inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs. 7200 crores in multiple sectors like rail, road, Education, Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The projects whose foundation stones were laid by the Prime Minister include four laning of 52 km stretch of Mahagama – Hansdiha section of NH133; four laning of 45 Km stretch of Basukinath – Deoghar section of NH114 A; KDH-Purnadih Coal Handling Plant; new academic and administrative building of IIIT Ranchi.

Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) 

The schemes which are aimed to achieve 100% saturation during entire campaign include- Ayushman Bharat- PMJAY; PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana; Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission ; PM Awas Yojana (Rural); PM Ujjwala Yojana; PM Vishwakarma; PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana ;Kisan Credit Card (KCC); PM Poshan Abhiyan; Har Ghar Jal – Jal Jeevan Mission; Survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas (SVAMITVA); Jan Dhan Yojana; Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana; Suraksha Bima Yojana; Atal Pension Yojana; PM PRANAM Yojana-Nano Fertilizer etc.
During the Campaign, various Jan Bhagidari events were organized in both the Gram Panchayats in which the beneficiaries of schemes such as Ujjwala, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Jan Dhan Yojana shared their experiences.

In addition to the above, on the spot quiz competitions were organized by the schools for school children and prizes were distributed. Health Camps were conducted by the health department for general public & ABHA ID cards were distributed, Soil Health Cards were distributed by Agriculture Department, Land records were distributed to the farmers under ‘Svamitva Yojana’ by the revenue department. Beneficiaries were covered under Jan Dhan Yojana, Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Suraksha Bima Yojana etc., by the banks in both of the aforementioned Gram Panchayats which is also a part of the said campaign.

 

 

B Health

  1. Education
  2. Human Resources
  3. poverty and hunger
  4. International relations
  5. India and its neighbourhood
  6. groupings and agreements

India-UK Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership 

Defence industry organisations from India and the UK have come together to create a new Defence Industry Joint Working Group for more effective cooperation. The initiative is supported by the UK Government.

UK industry is already integrating Indian defence suppliers into their global supply chain, manufacturing defence equipment not just for India but for the world.

The Joint Working Group is part of an ongoing initiative between the two countries to strengthen the defence and security partnership through industrial collaboration. The UK recently issued its first Open General Export License (OGEL) in the Indo-Pacific region to India, shortening delivery times for defence procurement.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) recently conducted a subject matter expertise exchange with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) during the visit of Eurofighter Typhoon, Voyager and A400 in New Delhi and also held joint-flying exercises with the Indian Air Force (IAF).

                                  Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

For over 60 years, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working jointly with partners in India for sustainable economic, ecological, and social development. 

India is fast emerging as an economic and industrial power. It is a member of the ‘Group of Twenty’ (G20) as well as one of the five major emerging national economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). Despite the country’s rapidly growing economy, poverty and other socio-economic issues remain a challenge. The burgeoning population and accelerated urbanisation in the country have resulted in an environment at risk and greenhouse gas emissions that continue to spiral upwards.

The thematic areas of GIZ in India are:

  • Energy
  • Environment, Climate Change and Biodiversity
  • Sustainable Urban and Industrial Development
  • Sustainable Economic Development

The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) as well as the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) are the main commissioning parties of GIZ in India. Other clients include Indian public sector clients, the European Union and foundations.

The Government of India has launched numerous important initiatives to address the country’s economic, environmental and social challenges, and GIZ is contributing to some of the most significant ones. For example, it supports key initiatives such as Smart Cities, Clean India and Skill India. GIZ, in close cooperation with Indian partners, devises tailor-made, jointly-developed solutions to meet local needs and achieve sustainable and inclusive development.

C.Indian diaspora

  1. Economic Development
  2. Government Budgeting
  3. industrial

Inland Waterways Authority of India 

he Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) came into existence on 27th October 1986 for development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation. The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national waterways through grant received from Ministry of Shipping. The head office of the Authority is at Noida. The Authority also has its regional offices at Patna, Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi and sub-offices at Allahabad, Varanasi, Farakka, Sahibganj, Haldia, Swroopganj, Hemnagar, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Silchar, Kollam, Bhubaneshwar  and Vijayawada.

India has about 14,500 km of navigable waterways which comprise of rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks, etc. About 55 million tones of cargo is being moved annually by Inland Water Transport (IWT), a fuel – efficient and environment -friendly mode. Its operations are currently restricted to a few stretches in the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly rivers , the Brahmaputra, the Barak river, the rivers in Goa, the backwaters in Kerala, inland waters in Mumbai and the deltaic regions of the Godavari – Krishna rivers. Besides these organized operations by mechanized vessels, country boats of various capacities also operate in various rivers and canals. and substantial quantum of cargo and passengers are transported in this unorganized sector as well.

functions

National Waterways

  • Survey
  • Navigation,Infrastructure and Regulations
  • Fairway Development
  • Pilotage
  • Coordination of IWT with other modes

General

  • Advise Central Govt.
  • Carry out hydrographic surveys
  • Assist State Governments
  • Develop consultancy services
  • Research & Development
  • Classification of waterways
  • Standards & safety 

E.issues

  1. Technology

 

 

 

  1. Environment

 

  1. Security

INDIA-USA JOINT EXERCISE VAJRA PRAHAR COMMENCES IN UMROI

14th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise “VAJRA PRAHAR 2023” commenced at the Joint Training Node, Umroi today. The US contingent is represented by personnel from the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) of US Special Forces. The Indian Army contingent is led by Special Forces personnel from the Eastern Command.

Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR is a joint exercise conducted between Indian Army and US Army Special Forces. It aims at sharing best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics.

The first edition was conducted in the year 2010 in India and the 13th edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise was conducted at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh (HP). The current edition is being conducted in Umroi Cantonment, Meghalaya from 21st November to 11th December 2023.

During the course of the next three weeks, both sides will jointly plan and rehearse a series of Special Operations, Counter Terrorist Operations, Air Borne operations in simulated conventional and unconventional scenarios in mountainous terrain. Key highlights include ‘Combat free fall insertion of troops from stand-off distances’, ‘Water borne insertion of troops’, ‘Precision engagement of targets at long ranges’, ‘Combat air controlling of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft’ besides ‘Airborne insertion and sustenance of troops’.

Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR has evolved as a mechanism to exchange ideas and share best practices between the Special Forces of both the nations. It is also a platform to enhance inter-operability and strengthen defence cooperation between the armies of India and the United States of America.

 

 

 

 

  1. Disaster Management

Rescue Operations Intensify at Silkyara Tunnel Collapse Site

Continuing their unwavering commitment to saving lives, the government is actively engaged in ongoing rescue operations at the Silkyara Tunnel in Uttarkashi, where 41 workers remain trapped.

The 2 km section of the tunnel, with completed concrete work ensuring the safety of the workers, is the focus of the rescue efforts.  In this secured portion of the tunnel, electricity and water supply are operational, and provisions, including food and medicines, are being delivered through a dedicated 4-inch compressor pipeline.

Various government agencies have been mobilized, each assigned specific tasks to ensure the safe evacuation of the workers. The government maintains constant communication to boost the morale of those trapped.

Key Updates on Rescue Operations:

  1. NHIDCL Lifeline Efforts:
  • Yesterday marked a significant breakthrough as NHIDCL completed the drilling of an additional lifeline—a 6-inch diameter pipeline—for the supply of essential items.
    • Video communication has been established with the stranded workforce, and efforts were made to clear debris inside the pipeline using compressed air and water pressure.
  1. Horizontal Boring by NHIDCL:
  • NHIDCL has resumed horizontal boring from the Silkyara end to rescue workers using an Augur boring machine.
  • Fabrication of a protective canopy for the drilling machine is underway, with modifications to the augur diameter and welding of the pipeline in progress.
  1. Vertical Drilling for Rescue by SJVNL:
  • SJVNL’s machine for the vertical rescue tunnel construction has arrived at the site, with installation currently underway. Machines are being transported from Gujarat and Odisha for this purpose.
  1. Horizontal Drilling from Barkot Side by THDCL:
  • THDC has initiated the construction of a rescue tunnel from the Barkot end, with two blasts already completed, resulting in a 6.4-meter drift. Three blasts per day are planned.
  1. Perpendicular-Horizontal Drilling by RVNL:
  • RVNL is transporting machinery for micro-tunneling through horizontal drilling to rescue laborers. Additional backup machines are being brought in from Odisha.
  1. Vertical Drilling Toward Barkot End by ONGC:
  • ONGC is mobilizing machinery from the USA, Mumbai, and Ghaziabad for vertical boring.
  1. Drift Tunnel by Manual-Semi Mechanized Method by Joint Team of THDCL/Army/Coal India and NHIDCL:
  • Work is underway to create a drift inside the tunnel, with a safe channel established from 180 meters to 150 meters. The Army is mobilizing box culverts for this purpose.
  1. Road Cutting and Supportive Work by BRO:
  • BRO has rapidly constructed an approach road for vertical drilling by SJVNL within 48 hours. The work is ongoing for the approach road for ONGC, with geological surveys conducted by ONGC.

Background:

On 12th November 2023, a collapse occurred in the under-construction tunnel from Silkyara to Barkot due to debris falling in a 60-meter stretch on the Silkyara side. Immediate mobilization of resources by the State and Central Governments ensued to rescue the 41 trapped laborers.

Initially opting for a 900 mm pipe through the debris, safety concerns led to the exploration of multiple rescue options simultaneously. The area of entrapment, measuring 8.5 meters in height and 2 kilometers in length, is the built-up portion of the tunnel, offering safety to the laborers with available electricity and water supply.

Five agencies—ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL—have been assigned specific responsibilities, working collaboratively with occasional task adjustments for operational efficiency.

Note: The timelines provided are subject to change due to technical glitches, the challenging Himalayan terrain, and unforeseen emergencies.