- Indian Heritage
- Culture
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens scheme
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, being the Nodal Department for welfare of senior citizens, develops and implements programmes and policies for these groups in close collaboration with State Governments, Non-Governmental Organizations and the civil society.
Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) is implemented by the Department to take care of various needs of Senior Citizens including shelter, food, healthcare and human interaction / life of dignity. The components of the AVYAY Scheme are as under:-
-
-
- Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC)
- State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)
- Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
- Elderline – National Helpline for Senior Citizens
- Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE)
- Geriatric Caregivers Training
-
Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) -a component of AVYAY under which grant in aid is provided to Non-Governmental/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens’ Homes (old age homes), continuous care homes, etc. Facilities like shelter, nutrition, medicare and entertainments are provided free of cost to indigent senior citizens. As on date, 639 projects are provided Grants under IPSrC across the country.
State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC)- A component of AVYAY, under which grant in aid is released to States/ UTs for creation of a pool of trained Geriatric Caregivers for senior citizens, for carrying a special drive for Cataract Surgeries for Senior Citizens and State Specific Activities for the welfare of senior citizens, especially who are indigent in the States/UTs.
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): The scheme aims to provide senior citizens, suffering from any of the age-related disability/infirmity, with assisted living devices which can restore near normalcy in their bodily functions, overcoming the disability/infirmity manifested such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities. The eligible senior citizens under this component are those who are in the BPL Category or having monthly income upto Rs.15000/-.Generic and non- generic devices are distributed to the senior citizens through the camps and till date, 3,64,001 senior citizens have been benefitted in 354 camps.
Elderline: National Helpline for Senior Citizens (14567): The Ministry has set up the National Helpline for Senior Citizen to provide free information, Guidance, Emotional Support and field intervention in cases of abuse and rescues. It is toll-free helpline operational in 31 States/ UT, from 8 am to 8 pm, all 7 days of the week.
Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE): To promote out-of-the-box and innovative solutions for the commonly faced problems, innovative start-ups are identified and encouraged for developing products, processes and services for the welfare of the elderly under this initiative. The selected start-ups/start-up ideas are provided equity support of up to Rs.1 Crore per project while ensuring that the total Government equity in the start-up does not exceed 49%. SAGE portal (http://sage.dosje.gov.in) was launched on 04/06/2021. The initiative is implemented through IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd. (Investment Manager).
Geriatric Caregivers Training – To bridge the gap in supply and increasing demand in the field of geriatric caregivers and also to create a cadre of professional care givers in the field of geriatrics, this component was introduced. The programme ensures availability of dedicated, professionally trained manpower of geriatric caregivers who can attend to diverse and dynamic needs of elderly population. The training modules and courses takes into account the clinical and non-clinical aspect along with wellbeing and companionship for the senior citizens. The component is implemented through National Institute of Social Defence and at present 3,180 geriatric caregivers have been trained.
B Health
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
india and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
The international community, through UNCLOS, recognized the desirability of establishing a legal order for the seas and oceans for the facilitation of international communication, promotion of peaceful usage of the seas and oceans, and the equitable and efficient utilization of their resources. It is an international agreement that enshrined customary maritime law and is universally acknowledged to have laid down laws and rules widely accepted by 167 member countries plus the EU. However, some of its provisions, especially those relating to passage through EEZ equally contentious and leaves open space for varied interpretation and self-perception by individual countries.
What is an Exclusive Economic Zone?
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea. It extends to a maximum of 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. After 200 nautical miles, the sea is called the high sea and is open to all other states. Under the EEZ, a state — in this case, India — has the right and control over it. India can move its ships, fish, collect intelligence and exercise other sovereign rights.
However, under Article 58 of the UNCLOS, certain rights are enjoyed by the foreign countries in the Indian EEZ, which is where the problem arises. The 58(i) of the UNCLOS mentions the “freedoms referred to in article 87 of UNCLOS”, which deals with the high seas and the rights enjoyed by all parties, including the right to navigation. Article 87 gives power to all the states to move around the high seas, including armed ships. The right to navigation allows foreign ships to move in the Indian EEZ. The latter part of the act also spells out “other internationally lawful uses of the sea related to these freedoms.” UNCLOS states that there should be no violence and threat of violence or intelligence gathering while passing through the country’s EEZ. So, if the navigation is an “innocent passage”,—it is internationally lawful.
What is Innocent Passage?
The passage is innocent as long as it is not prejudicial to India’s peace, good order or security. A foreign ship with weapons can have an innocent passage under the UNCLOS, but there are a few restrictions:
- There cannot be any threat, use of force, or practice of weapons;
- They cannot collect intelligence;
- Nothing can board or deboard the ship;
- Nothing can be loaded or unloaded.
If any of the above clauses are violated by a foreign ship, it is not considered an innocent passage and India can take measures against that party. However, UNCLOS is silent about certain aspects of the innocent passage and allows states to pass laws and regulations to fill those gaps. Such questions like ‘does a foreign ship need to take permission for an innocent passage?’ is left for states to answer.
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
B. industrial
Mineral Production in the Country Grows by 5.1% in December 2023
The index of mineral production of mining and quarrying sector for the month of December, 2023 (Base: 2011-12=100) at 139.4 is 5.1 % higher as compared to the level in the month of December, 2022. As per the provisional statistics of Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the cumulative growth for the period April- December, 2023-24 over the corresponding period of previous year is 8.5 % percent.
Production level of important minerals in December, 2023 were: Coal 929 lakh, Lignite 40 lakh , Petroleum (crude) 25 lakh, Iron ore 255 lakh, Limestone 372 lakh tonnes each, Natural gas (utilized) 3078 million cu. m., Bauxite 2429 thousand, Chromite 235 thousand, Copper conc. 11 thousand, Lead conc. 35 thousand, Manganese ore 319 thousand, Zinc conc. 148 thousand, Phosphorite 117 thousand, Magnesite 16 thousand tonnes each and Gold 122 kg.
Important minerals showing positive growth during December, 2023 over December, 2022 include: Magnesite (83.7%), Lead Conc.(16.5%), Lignite(14.6%), Copper Conc.(13.7%), Limestone(12.5%), Coal (10.8%), Zinc Conc.(7.8%), Bauxite (6.6%), Natural gas (U) (6.6%), Manganese Ore (4.0%) and Iron Ore (1.3%), and Other important minerals showing negative growth include: Petroleum(crude) (-1.0%), , Gold (-29.9%), Chromite (-30.8%), Phosphorite (-31.2%) and Diamond (-74.4%).
integrated Digital Platform for Electricity Distribution Schemes
REC Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power, hosted a workshop for all state DISCOMs, Program Management Agencies (PMAs), REC-Third Party Quality Monitoring Agencies (TPQMAs) and other stakeholders including sister power sector PSU Power Finance Corporation, on the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) module of the Integrated Web Portal for Power Sector Distribution Schemes.
This innovative platform has been launched to provide real-time updates and insights into the implementation of power sector distribution schemes including RDSS, thus enabling transparency and efficiency. The platform (https://rdss.powermin.gov.in/) was launched by the Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister Shri R. K. Singh, at the Review Planning & Monitoring (RPM) meeting with States and State Power Utilities, held in New Delhi during April 10 – 11, 2023.
The workshop held by REC at its corporate office in Gurugram today, February 22, 2024, focused on the importance of the Integrated Web platform, and sought to familiarize all power sector stakeholders on how to best use the platform, to regularly update, monitor and thus speed up the progress under the scheme. More than 200 officials attended the workshop in person, besides another 300 senior officials from DISCOMs, PMAs, PFC, and other stakeholders joining through video conferencing.
E.issues
14. Technology
15. Environment
16. Security
Inauguration of International Maritime Seminar – MILAN 2024
astern Naval Command which has played a very crucial role in India’s maritime history and earned laurels for the country. I extend warm greetings to all our friends, who have come together from several countries to participate in the International Maritime Seminar of MILAN 2024.Those of my friends who are from abroad, Milan is a hindi word.Milan means a sublime meeting of mind, heart and soul. This seminar undoubtedly will exemplify the same.
Soothing to find that editions of MILAN are continually getting productive and in some ways defining way forward stances. It is one of its kind impactful platform for sharing best practices and expertise as also a crucible of involved interaction much
beyond surface scratching.
With modest beginning in 1995 to the participation of more than 15 warships and 51 delegations, MILAN is certainly turning out to be a delivery platform for meaningful dialogue and deliberations for participating Navies.
Friends-Disruptive technologies of all kinds have made deep inroads in our lives. These offer both challenges and opportunities. I am sure there will be an occasion for you all to deliberate on this aspect as well.
Milan 2024 aims to strengthen global cooperation and maritime security-an ever evolving challenge. Its object is to foster interoperability and understanding between participating navies.This august assemblage of domain experts serves as a testament to the shared commitment of nations towards ensuring the much needed maritime safety and Security.
Proactive collaboration key and if I may say so only key to shared peace & prosperity. Milan 24 indeed has an apt theme “Partners Across Oceans: Collaboration, Synergy,Growth”. This is of contemporaneous
relevance, noticing emerging challenges and reflecting the spirit of unity that transcends geographical boundaries.
Friends, it is in the fitness of things that India, home to one sixth of humanity and largest functional vibrant democracy, with rising economy is playing its due role in catalysing partnerships, Collaboration, Synergy Across Oceans and issues concerning maritime Security.
17. Disaster Management