{"id":16794,"date":"2023-08-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/uncategorized\/16-08-2023\/daily-current-affairs-16-08-2023\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T17:55:48","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T12:25:48","slug":"daily-current-affairs-16-08-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-08-2023\/daily-current-affairs-16-08-2023","title":{"rendered":"Daily Current Affairs &#8211; 16-08-2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Cloudburst<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/Geography<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In Himachal Pradesh following heavy rains and landslides, reports of cloudbursts have emerged.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is a cloudburst?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>A cloudburst is a localized event <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">with intense rainfall activity. The phenomenon is most common in hilly regions.However it can occur in plains also.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The rainfall of 10 cm or more<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in an hour over a roughly 10 km x 10 km area is classified as a cloudburst event.Also 5 cm of rainfall in a half-hour period over the same area would also be categorized as a cloudburst.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cloudbursts occur <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>particularly during the monsoon months<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. Most of these happen in the Himalayan states where the local topology, wind systems, and temperature gradients between the lower and upper atmosphere facilitate the occurrence of such events.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Impacts of Cloudbursts<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Death or Serious Injury:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">The very nature of flash floods makes them fast and very difficult to predict.Thus people can be seriously injured or killed by these natural disasters.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Immediate Property Damage:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">In addition to the force of the water, flash floods can carry large debris such as boulders. This combination can cause heavy structural damage to homes making them uninhabitable and can carry away large pieces of property such as vehicles.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Loss of Critical Infrastructure:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">Large debris and flood waters can cause structural damage to bridges and roadways, making travel impossible.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">Power, telephone, and cable lines can be taken out by flash floods as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">Flood waters can disrupt or contaminate groundwater, making tap water unfit for consumption.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Deposited Sediment &amp; Silt:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">Floods can leave behind large amounts of silt and other debris that can make travel difficult and can be costly to remove.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Economic Losses:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">Depending on the damage caused, it may prevent local businesses from opening or keep customers from getting to those businesses.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong><u>Initiatives taken<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Flash Flood Guidance Services:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">It is a robust system designed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to provide the necessary products in real-time to support the development of warnings for flash floods about 6-12 hours in advance at the watershed level for the flash flood-prone South Asian countries viz. India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>South Asian Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\">The India Meteorological Department (IMD) launched the South Asian FFGS and aimed at helping disaster management teams.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #212529;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-climate\/himachal-pradesh-cloudbursts-explained-8892242\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Schemes Announced on 77th Independence Day\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus :GS 2\/Polity and Governance\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>77th Independence Day announced a host of schemes for skilled workers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, women self-help groups and the urban poor among others.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>More In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Prime Minister started his Independence Day speech by highlighting India&#8217;s position as the largest democracy globally.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He talked about the sacrifices made by freedom fighters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Aurobindo Ghosh, and their compatriots.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">He highlighted that\u00a0 the policies of the government are providing support to the youth of the country and their strength has helped India become the third largest startup ecosystem in the world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About the Schemes\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018Vishwakarma Yojana\u2019: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will be\u00a0 launched on\u00a0 occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti,benefiting individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship, particularly from the OBC community.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and such families will be empowered through the \u2018Vishwakarma Yojana\u2019, which will begin with an allocation of around 13-15 thousand crore rupees.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Lakhpati Didi:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The government is planning skill development training for two crore women under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>&#8216;Lakhpati Didi&#8217; s<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">cheme that aims to encourage them to start micro-enterprises<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under it,skill training will be provided to women so that they can earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">15,000 women\u2019s SHGs would be given loan and training for operating and repairing drones.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The government will provide drones to thousands of such women SHGs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Drone services will be available for agricultural work.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is likely to speed up adoption of drone technology in the field of agriculture and will lead to substantial employment generation and agribusiness opportunities in rural areas.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Housing Scheme :\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new scheme to help urban poor build houses in cities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Under this programme, they would receive relief in interest rates and loans taken from banks to construct their houses.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will benefit those families that live in cities but are living in rented houses, or slums, or chawls and unauthorised colonies.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: square;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If this section wants to build their own houses, the government will assist them with a relief in interest rates and loans from banks that will help them save lakhs of rupees.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 13px;\">\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; width: 611px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #d0e0e3; vertical-align: top; width: 611px; border: 1px solid #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Do you know ?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The government already has a scheme to address the housing shortage for the urban poor called the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban (PMAY-U)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> .<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a flagship mission of the government which is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was launched in June 2015 to provide an all-weather dwelling unit to eligible beneficiaries across all urban areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">All houses built or acquired or purchased under the Mission have basic amenities like kitchen, water supply, electricity and toilet.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Mission has been extended up to 31st December 2024<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Uttar Pradesh had the largest number of houses completed\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The scheme is implemented through four verticals i.e., Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) based on eligibility criteria as per scheme guideline<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Mission promotes women empowerment by providing the ownership of houses in the name of female members or in joint name.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/independence-day-speech-pm-modi-announces-2-new-schemes-obcs-women-8893639\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Deemed Forest<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Environmental Conservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Odisha has <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>no \u2018deemed forest\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">as per the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>amended Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Odisha government, since 1996, had with the help of expert committees at the district level <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>identified nearly 66 lakh acres as \u2018deemed forest\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> but many of them were <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>not officially notified<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as such in government records.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This would be about 40-50% of Odisha&#8217;s total forest land, adding that the government\u2019s interpretation of the Forest Act would end up accelerating the razing of forests.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Odisha government\u2019s order <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>likely conflicts with the Environment Ministry\u2019s<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> assurances to a parliamentary committee that \u201cdeemed forests\u201d would continue to be protected.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Protection under the Forest Act means that land cannot be diverted without the consent of the Centre as well as gram panchayats.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The amendments brought by the Ministry of Environment and Forest said the changes to the Act of 1980 were necessary to remove ambiguities and bring clarity to where forest laws could be applied.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As per the amendments, if notified forest land was legally diverted between 1980 and 1996, for non-forest use, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 would not apply.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Formation of Expert Committees:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The States were expected to form expert committees and identify plots of land that were encapsulated under the new definition of forest.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However not all States submitted these reports, leaving considerable leeway to States to define, or leave out large parcels of land from the definition of forest.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What are deemed forests?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The concept of deemed forests has <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>not been clearly defined in any law<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> including the Forest Conservation Act of 1980.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Supreme Court in the case of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>T N Godavarman Thirumalpad (1996)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> accepted a wide definition of forests under the Act.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cThe word \u2018forest\u2019 must be understood according to its dictionary meaning, which covers all statutorily recognised forests, whether designated as reserved, protected or otherwise for the purpose of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Section 2 (1) of the Forest Conservation Act.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The term \u2018forest land\u2019 occurring in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Section 2<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will be any areas recorded as forest in the government record <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>irrespective of the ownership<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The provisions enacted in the Forest Conservation Act 1980 for the conservation of forest and the matters connected therewith must apply clearly to all forest so understood irrespective of the ownership or classification thereof.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About the amendment of the Forest Act, 1980<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 amended to make it applicable to certain types of land that include land notified as a forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 or in government records after the 1980 Act came into effect.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Act will not be applicable for land converted to non-forest use before December 12, 1996.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It also exempts certain types of land from the purview of the Act. These include land within 100 km of India\u2019s border needed for national security projects, small roadside amenities, and public roads leading to a habitation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is now <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>renamed as the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u2014 translated as Forest Conservation and Augmentation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It only accords protection to a forest that has been declared so in accordance with the provisions of the Forest Act, 1927 and also land that has been specifically notified as forest on or after October 25, 1980.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The 1996 Godavarman verdict by the Supreme Court enjoined States to bring in such unrecorded land that conformed to the \u2018dictionary\u2019 meaning of forest.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u2018Deemed forest\u2019 is forest land that has not been notified as such by the Centre or States.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Preservation of forest areas in India under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 has been continuously monitored by the Supreme Court since the Godavarman case judgement in 1996.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The state government must obtain clearances from the Supreme Court for effecting changes to land classified as deemed forests since the verdict.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/47913\/OPS\/G75BKEFMM.1+GS0BKF7K5.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Aditya-L1 mission<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus:GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released images of the Aditya-L1 mission.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is the Aditya-L1 mission?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Aditya-L1<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is the first space-based Indian observatory to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>study the Sun<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.It will be launched by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>PSLV-C57.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The solar mission will not see the spacecraft actually go to the sun, it will instead create a space observatory at a point from which the sun can be observed even during an eclipse.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">The spacecraft is planned to be placed in a halo orbit around the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> Lagrange point 1 (L1<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">), around 1.5 million km from the Earth, of the Sun-Earth system.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>It is equipped with seven payloads<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> (instruments) on board<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> with four of them carrying out remote sensing of the Sun and three of them carrying in-situ observation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What are the seven payloads?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will study the Corona, imaging and spectroscopy, and Coronal mass ejections.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will focus upon the Photosphere and Chromosphere imaging- narrow and broadband. It will also measure the solar irradiance variations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will study the soft and hard X-ray flares from the Sun over a wide X-ray energy range.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will analyze the electrons and protons in the Solar wind or particles. It will also study the energetic ions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Advanced Tri-axial High Resolution Digital Magnetometers<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> will study the interplanetary magnetic field at L1 point.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Why is studying the Sun important?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>To understand space weather: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Every planet, including Earth and the exoplanets beyond the Solar System, evolves and this evolution is governed by its parent star. The solar weather and environment affect the weather of the entire system. Variations in this weather can change the orbits of satellites or shorten their lives, interfere with or damage onboard electronics, and cause power blackouts and other disturbances on Earth.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>To learn about and track Earth-directed storms:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Continuous solar observations are needed to predict the impact of these storms as every storm that emerges from the Sun and heads towards Earth passes through L1.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Major objectives of the mission<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The mission will focus on study of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> dynamics. It will also study the chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionized plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The mission will identify the chronology of processes that take place in the Sun&#8217;s multiple layers \u2014 chromosphere, base and extended corona \u2014 which often eventually leads to solar eruptive events.In the solar corona, the mission aims to find out the magnetic field topology and measurements.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will also identify what drives<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> space weather<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, along with the origin, composition and dynamics of the solar wind.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Other missions to Sun<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>NASA\u2019s Parker Solar Probe<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, launched in 2018, has already gone far closer \u2014 but it will be looking away from the Sun.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Helios 2 solar probe<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, a joint venture between NASA and the space agency of erstwhile West Germany,was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12.499999999999998pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #3a3a3a;\">launched to investigate solar processes <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the Sun\u2019s surface in 1976.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>What is a Lagrange Point?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Lagrange points<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are positions in space where objects sent there tend to stay put. At Lagrange points, the gravitational pull of two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required for a small object to move with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lagrange points are named in honor of<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There are five Lagrange points, three are unstable and two are stable. The unstable Lagrange points are labeled L1, L2 and L3. The stable Lagrange points are labeled L4 and L5.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The L1 point <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of the Earth-Sun system affords an uninterrupted view of the sun and is currently home to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Satellite SOHO.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These points in space can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-sci-tech\/what-is-isro-aditya-l1-mission-8892308\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Graphene-Aurora Program<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS-3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recently, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Graphene-Aurora Program<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> was launched at Maker\u2019s Village, Kochi (Kerala).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Graphene-Aurora Program<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This program is being implemented by<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Digital University Kerala with joint funding from the Ministry of Electronics &amp; Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Aim:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By encouraging research and fostering commercialization, the program puts emphasis on cutting-edge graphene technology to assist India in establishing a strong presence in the global new materials market.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The proposed project aimed at boosting the production of valuable allotrope of carbon would mark a new chapter of innovation in the country\u2019s technological field.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u00a0India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC):<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A nonprofit organization called \u2018India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC)\u2019 shall be set up to cater the needs of the project.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Graphene<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Graphene is often referred to as a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>wonder material for its extraordinary electrical and electronic properties.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> discovered in 2004 by Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics for this in 2010.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is stronger than steel, very stretchable and can be used as a flexible conductor.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Its<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> thermal conductivity is much higher than that of silver.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Graphene has a number of properties which makes it interesting for several different applications.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is an ultimately thin, mechanically very strong, transparent and flexible conductor. It can be used in applications such as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>touch screens, light panels and solar cells.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Applications of Graphene<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Biomedical:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Improved brain penetration, DIY health testing kits, targeted drug delivery, &#8220;smart&#8221; implants, and DIY health testing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Composites and Coatings:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Combining graphene with already-existing products to create so-called composite materials is one of the simplest and most efficient methods to utilize the promise of graphene.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Electronics: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Graphene has the potential to develop the electronics of the future, which are now only found in science fiction. Improved semiconductors, foldable phones, and other electronics with faster transistors.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Battery:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Graphene has the potential to significantly extend the life of a conventional lithium-ion battery, allowing for faster charging and longer-lasting electronics.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Graphene Membranes: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When it comes to gases and liquids, graphene oxide membranes can create an impeccably tight seal. They are exceptionally good at removing water from a gas mixture and effectively separating organic solvent from water.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Sensors:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Extremely sensitive graphene sensors could find tiny harmful particles, protecting potentially hazardous surroundings.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Other Applications:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> It includes anti-corrosion paints and coatings, accurate and quick sensors, quick and efficient electronics, flexible displays, quick DNA sequencing, medicine delivery, and more.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source: <\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1948661#:~:text=The%20program%20shall%20be%20implemented,as%20one%20of%20the%20main\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>PIB<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Select Metrics of India @76<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The analysis measures <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India\u2019s relative performance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>past 76 years<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> compared to other countries across <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>four parameters<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> \u2014 GDP per capita, Human Development Index (HDI), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and women\u2019s participation in Parliament.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Analysis<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>India is compared with these countries:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> BRICS (Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa), G-7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States), emerging economies (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates) and the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>GDP per capita (in $): <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India\u2019s GDP per capita ranking of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>24 out of 26 nations<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> analysed remained unchanged between the 1960s and 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">While Indonesia and Nepal were lagging behind India in the 1960s, Pakistan and Nepal were lagging behind in 2022.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Infant Mortality Rate:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Between 1960 and 1975, India had the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>seventh-worst IMR among 32 nations.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 2021, India regressed four spots and became the third-worst. Of the six countries which were behind India in 1960-75, five (Turkey, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Egypt and Nepal) surpassed India by 2021. However, South Africa regressed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Human Development Index:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Between 1950 and 2021, India\u2019s HDI increased by 0.11 points in 1950 to 0.633 in 2021. However, India\u2019s ranking slipped from 26 in 1950 to 29 by 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Of the five countries which lagged behind India in 1950, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Bangladesh\u2014moved ahead by 2021.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Share of women in Parliament:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Women\u2019s participation in India increased from 7% in 1997-98 to 14.9% in 2022. Over 10 countries were behind India in this indicator in 1997-98. In 2022, only five remain below India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Access to Electricity: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Between 1993 and 2000,<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> only 50% of India\u2019s population<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> had access to electricity. By 2020, this <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>increased to 99% of its population.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A majority of the 32 countries considered providing electricity to over 99% of their population by 2020, except for Pakistan, South Africa and Nepal where the share remains below 90%.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Access to Internet: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1990, almost no country considered, except for the U.S., had any access to the Internet.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">But by 2020, India has managed to provide internet access to 43% of its population. While India lags behind 27 countries in this indicator, Bhutan (53.5%) is the only country in the subcontinent that is ranked above India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Most Populous: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 1960, with a population of 45.05 crore people, India had the second-highest population behind China (66.7 crore).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By the end of 2022, India\u2019s population stood at 1.417 billion, surpassing China\u2019s 1.412 billion, making India the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>most populous country<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the world, according to the World Population Review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/47850\/OPS\/GUVBKB5K9.1+G70BKB711.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Facts In News<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Windfall Tax on Crude Oil Hiked<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The government has hiked the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>windfall profit tax on crude oil<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> produced in the country and on export of diesel.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Crude oil pumped out of the ground and from below the seabed is refined and converted into fuels such as petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Windfall Tax<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> term &#8220;Windfall&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> describes a sudden and significant increase in profits.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A higher tax imposed by the government on specific industries when they experience unexpected and above-average profits is known as a Windfall Tax.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is the one-time tax imposed on businesses that are thought to have made excessively high profits, typically due to unusually favourable market conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Example:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Energy firm profits have soared in recent years, initially due to rising demand after Covid restrictions were lifted, and then because Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine raised energy prices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It aimed at increasing local supplies and boosting its revenues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Benefits<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Boost government revenues.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Provide public services and other benefits to the citizens.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.livemint.com\/industry\/energy\/govt-hikes-windfall-tax-on-petroleum-crude-to-rs-7-100-per-tonne-from-15-august-11692033034383.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>LM<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Talwar-Class Stealth Frigates<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus :GS 3\/Defence\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Two Krivak- or Talwar-class stealth frigates are now expected to be delivered by May and October in 2024.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The ship is in the final stages of development; in two months time, it will go for sea trials.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Talwar-class stealth frigates<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Talwar class of frigates of the Indian Navy have been built in Russia under an Indo-Russian joint production.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Talwar class guided missile frigates are modified<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Krivak III class frigates from Russia.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In October <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2016, India and Russia<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for four stealth frigates, after which a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>$1-billion deal <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">was signed for direct purchase.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Talwar Class has a displacement of 4,000 tons and speed of 30 knots and is capable of accomplishing a wide variety of naval missions, primarily, finding and eliminating enemy submarines and large surface ships.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Due to the use of stealth technologies and a special hull design, the resulting frigate features reduced radar cross section (RCS) as well as electromagnetic, acoustic and infrared signatures.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/47913\/OPS\/G75BKEFMM.1+GS0BKF7JV.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the development of a Public Tech Platform for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u2018frictionless credit\u2019 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">by the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> set-up to promote and facilitate an environment that accelerates innovation across the financial sector.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">RBIH will provide the platform to anchor a shared vision among all financial ecosystem stakeholders and aid them in crafting forward-looking innovation strategies while addressing the most pressing issues in the Indian financial sector.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It will identify challenges in the Indian financial system by<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> building applied research and extensive stakeholder consultation.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Frictionless Credit<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Currently, data needed for credit appraisal are available with different entities such as central and State governments, banks, credit information companies, etc.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This has created<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> hindrance in the frictionless delivery of loans<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Public Tech Platform would enable delivery of frictionless credit by <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>facilitating seamless flow of required digital information to lenders.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The platform would be rolled out as a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>pilot project in August 2023 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in a calibrated fashion and it would bring about efficiency in the lending process,.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/47850\/OPS\/GUVBKB5KG.1+G70BKB72N.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u> TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Centre Approves Two Inter-State Routes for Helicopter Services<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> has granted permission to operate<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> inter-state helicopter services,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> under the existing <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>75 percent Helicopter Subsidy Scheme <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">for two new routes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The two newly approved inter-state helicopter routes are set to connect <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Churachandpur <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in Manipur with Aizawl, Mizoram, and Kangpokpi\/Senapati in Manipur with Dimapur, Nagaland.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These routes are projected to<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> enhance accessibility and connectivity<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to these regions, which have often grappled with infrastructural limitations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The new routes were added for operation under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>existing subsidy scheme<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which requires passengers to pay a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>charge of \u00e2\u201a\u00b92,000,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> with the State and Central governments bearing the rest of the fare.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Approval had also been granted for <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>extra flying hours <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in light of the new routes being added.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Helicopter Services In North Eastern States<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In order to provide connectivity to remote areas of NER, Helicopter subsidy scheme is being administered by MHA in the NE States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It further aims to provide <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>affordable passenger transport<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in NER,<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> evacuation during natural calamities and for urgent medical evacuation etc.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">MHA bears expenditure of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>75% of total cost <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of operation after deducting passenger recovery or flat 20% of actual operation cost, whichever is more.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">For the purpose of restricting subsidy<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>, annual ceiling of flying hours<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> has been fixed for the helicopter service operating in these States.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/47850\/OPS\/GUVBKB5KC.1+G70BKB7E5.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>IFFCO Nano DAP (Liquid) Plant in Gujarat<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Union Home Minister laid the\u00a0 foundation stone of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) Nano DAP (Liquid) Plant<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> at Gandhidham, Gujarat.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13.999999999999998pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About <\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>IFFCO Nano DAP<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is an efficient source of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>available nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P2O5)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for all the crops and helps in correcting the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nitrogen &amp; Phosphorus deficiencies in standing crops.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nano DAP formulation contains <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Nitrogen (8.0% N w\/v) and Phosphorus (16.0 % P2O5 w\/v).<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nano DAP (Liquid) has an advantage in terms of<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> surface area to volume<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as its particle size is less than 100 Nanometre (nm).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This unique property enables it to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>enter easily inside the seed<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> surface or through stomata and other plant openings.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Better spread ability and assimilation of Nano DAP inside the plant system leads to <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>higher seed vigour, more chlorophyll, photosynthetic efficiency, better quality and increase in crop yields.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Apart from this, Nano DAP through precision and targeted application fulfills the<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> nutritional requirement of crops without harming the environment.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Significance<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">IFFCO DAP (liquid) <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>does not go inside the ground<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, but remains on the top of the crop, due to which not only the benefits of DAP become available to the crop, but the land is also preserved.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Spraying of Nano DAP (liquid) will not pollute the land, which will<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> further ease the natural farming,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> increase soil fertility along agricultural production and will <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>promote land conservation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">DAP (Liquid) will not pollute water, increase production, keep price affordable, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>reduce government subsidy burden and reduce imports<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to make India self-sufficient in the field of urea and DAP.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About IFFCO<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>multi-state cooperative society<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> that is involved in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>manufacturing and marketing of fertilizers at a large scale.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It was founded in <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1967<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and has now become one of the biggest co-op in the country.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As part of varied service vertices it aims to revolutionize the agricultural world with technology while uplifting farmers with services like mobile advisory, IFFCO Kisan Agriculture App, and Kisan call centre.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1948144\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Murmansk Port<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus: Places in News<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India accounts for 35% of cargo handled by Russia\u2019s Arctic Murmansk port, the main northern gateway of Russia and a transshipment hub in the first half of 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India\u2019s engagement with Russia\u2019s Arctic region has been strengthening with India-bound goods constituting the maximum share of cargo handled this year by Murmansk, located about 2,000 km northwest of Moscow.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Murmansk Port<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is <strong>one of the largest ports <\/strong>in Russia.\u00a0, <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>located on the Kola peninsula at the coast of Barents Sea.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is the main centre of Russia&#8217;s icebreaker fleet and is of increasing importance for oil-and gas transport from North-West Russian Arctic fields.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Moreover, 3 road handling terminals (Lavna, Belokamenka, Mokhnatkin) are a part of the Murmansk port as well as an open road near Kolguev Island (the eastern part of the Barents Sea).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Beyond Kola Bay the port owns several terminals designated for anchorage and repair of vessels, like settlements of Teriberka, Ura-Guba and Liinakhamari.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Northern Sea Route (NSR)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>shortest shipping route connecting the western part of Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">India is also getting involved in the Northern Sea Route (NSR).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There are challenges in navigating the 5,600-km-long NSR. The route includes the seas of the Arctic Ocean [Kara, Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi] which remain icebound during most parts of the year.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Ice-breaking therefore assumes importance, a task performed by FSUE Atomflot, a unit of Rosatom and the fleet operator of nuclear-powered icebreakers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Alternative to Suez Canal<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">NSR is being promoted as an alternative to the Suez Canal that would reduce the gap between Europe and countries in the Asia-Pacific region.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">For instance, the NSR across the Arctic Ocean from Murmansk to Yokohama in Japan is about 6,000 nautical miles (NM). Alternatively, the distance via the southern shipping routes is about 13,000 NM.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/47913\/OPS\/G75BKEFMQ.1+GS0BKF7FL.1.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><u>Bindeshwar Pathak<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Syllabus:GS1\/Society, Miscellaneous\/Person in News<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Renowned social activist Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak passed away on 15 August 2023.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>About<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">He was the founder of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Sulabh International<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">, an India-based social service organization which works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, waste management and reforms through education.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">He also served as the ambassador for the Government of India\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Swachh Bharat Mission.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>Sulabh International<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Founded:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">1970.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Sulabh International introduced a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> scavenging-free two-pit pour flush toilet <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">(Sulabh Shauchalaya) and the public toilet system in India, which contributed significantly to reducing open-defecation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Sulabh International also contributed to eradication of manual scavenging and rehabilitation of manual scavengers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>Awards and Honors<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">He was conferred with <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Padma Bhushan, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">India&#8217;s third-highest civilian award in <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>1991.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">He was conferred with the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong> 2009, Stockholm Water Prize.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">Sulabh International was given the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Gandhi Peace Prize for 2016,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> jointly with the Akshaya Patra Foundation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\">He was presented with the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"> for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for the year <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>2017.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1949168\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Georgia,serif;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><span style=\"background-color: #ffffff;\"><strong><u>PIB<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Himachal Pradesh following heavy rains and landslides, reports of cloudbursts have emerged.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[76],"class_list":["post-16794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16794","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16794"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16794\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16799,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16794\/revisions\/16799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}