Daily Current Capsules

Maputo Port, Mozambique

Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ICGS Varaha made a significant port call at Maputo Port, Mozambique on 14 February, 2024 as a part of ongoing strategic overseas deployment to East Africa, marking a pivotal milestone in the ongoing diplomatic maritime engagements.
The deployment of ICGS Varaha to East Africa exemplifies India’s commitment to fostering warm and cordial relations with African countries.
The overarching goal is to promote friendly relations through maritime cooperation, aligning with India’s maritime vision encapsulated in “SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region” and the concept of “Global South.”

World Governments Summit 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the World Governments Summit in Dubai as Guest of Honour, on 14 February 2024

Know! about the World Government Summit

The World Governments Summit Organization is a global, neutral, non-profit organization dedicated to shaping the future of governments.
The Summit, in its various activities, explores the agenda of the next generation of governments, focusing on harnessing innovation and technology to solve universal challenges facing humanity.
Since its inception in 2013, the Summit has championed the mission of shaping future governments and creating a better future for humanity.
The past editions of the Summit have successfully established a new model to collaborate on an international playing field to inspire and enable the next generation of governments
The World Governments Summit is a global knowledge exchange platform for governments that was established in 2013 under the dynamic leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai

World Defence Show 2024

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt is on a visit to Riyadh as the head of the Indian delegation for the World Defence Show (WDS) 2024.
This five-day WDS is being organized in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 4 to 8 February 2024.
India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’ are national programmes that can be mutually beneficial for both sides.

South Asia’s 1st Professional Women’s Handball League

South Asia’s first professional Women’s Handball League (WHL) was unveiled on 6 February 2024 in New Delhi.
A total of six teams would participate in this first professional women’s handball league.
South Asia’s first professional women’s handball league (WHL) is targeted to be launched by January 2025.
This league will be organized under the auspices of South Asian Handball Federation and Asian Handball Federation in collaboration with Indian Handball Association.

Currently more than three lakh girls are playing handball in India.

International Energy Agency’s Ministerial Meeting

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, addressed the International Energy Agency’s Ministerial Meeting

The Prime Minister congratulated the International Energy Agency for the 50th anniversary of its establishment and also extended

Kow! about IEA

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation, established in 1974, that provides policy recommendations, analysis, and data on the global energy sector. The 31 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.
The IEA was set up under the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis to respond to physical disruptions in global oil supplies, provide data and statistics about the global oil market and energy sector, promote energy savings and conservation, and establish international technical collaboration.
Since its founding, the IEA has also coordinated use of the oil reserves that its members are required to hold.

Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

The Prime Minister announced the launch of rooftop solar scheme for free electricity – PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
This project, with an investment of over Rs. 75,000 crores, aims to light up 1 crore households by providing up to 300 units of free electricity every month.
The scheme was first announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Interim Budget 2024-’25.
Under the solar panel scheme, substantive subsidies will be provided to the beneficiaries of the scheme and that they will be transferred directly to their bank accounts.
Under rooftop installation, solar photovoltaic (PV) panels are fixed atop a building, home, or residential property.

First BIMSTEC Aquatics Championships

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur launched the BIMSTEC Aquatics Championship 2024 in New Delhi on 6 February 2024.
The BIMSTEC Aquatics Championship is being organized for the first time
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Union Sports Minister, Nepal’s Sports Minister Dig Bahadur Limbu, the BIMSTEC High Commissioner, and dignitaries from the participating countries.
The first BIMSTEC Aquatics Championship is being organized from 6 to 9 February 2024.

Know! about BIMSTEC

BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
The seven-member BIMSTEC constitutes a unique link between South and South-East Asian countries.
BIMSTEC has five members from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka) and two members from Southeast Asia (Myanmar and Thailand).
BIMSTEC’s secretariat is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

SUFALAM: Start-Up Forum for Aspiring Leaders and Mentors Startup Conclave 2024

Union Minister of Food Processing Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras inaugurated “SUFALAM: Start-Up Forum for Aspiring Leaders and Mentors Startup Conclave 2024”.

Know! about SUFALAM

The Startup Conclave for Food Processing Entrepreneurs has the potential to be a game-changing event, driving the sector towards a future marked by innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth.
As startups come together to exhibit their creativity and foresight, the conclave acts as a source of inspiration, encouraging the upcoming generation of food processing leaders to push the limits of what’s possible.

Food processing – ‘A Sunrise sector’

India’s food ecosystem offers enormous investment opportunities with stimulating growth in the food retail sector encouraging economic policies, and attractive fiscal incentives.
Through the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India is taking all necessary measures to boost investments in the food processing industry in India.

Some of the initiatives include:

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) aims at developing modern food processing infrastructure. PMKSY has been envisaged as a comprehensive package which will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.
Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME) aims to enhance existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) aims to boost domestic manufacturing, increase exports, while supporting food manufacturing entities with stipulated Sales and willing to make investment for expansion of processing capacity and branding abroad to incentivize emergence of strong Indian brands.

PM jointly inaugurates UPI services with Mauritius PM & Sri Lankan President

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi along with the President of Sri Lanka, Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Mr Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) services in Sri Lanka and Mauritius, and also RuPay card services in Mauritius via video conferencing.
Digital public infrastructure has brought about a revolutionary change in India, where the smallest of vendors in the remotest of villages are transacting via UPI and making digital payments.
More than 100 billion transactions took place via UPI last year worth Rs 2 lakh crores or 8 trillion Sri Lankan rupees or 1 trillion Mauritius rupees.
Prime Minister of India expressed delight that after Nepal, Bhutan, Singapore and UAE in the Gulf in Asia, now from Mauritius RuPay card is being launched in Africa.

Background

India has emerged as a leader in Fintech innovation and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The Prime Minister has strongly emphasized sharing our development experiences and innovation with partner countries.
Given India’s robust cultural and people-to-people linkages with Sri Lanka and Mauritius, the launch will benefit a wide cross-section of people through a faster and seamless digital transaction experience and enhance digital connectivity between the countries.
The launch will enable the availability of UPI settlement services for Indian nationals travelling to Sri Lanka and Mauritius as well as for Mauritian nationals travelling to India.
The extension of RuPay card services in Mauritius will enable Mauritian banks to issue cards based on RuPay mechanism in Mauritius and facilitate usage of RuPay Card for settlements in India and Mauritius.

Know! about Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

It is an instant real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) that allows users to transfer money between bank accounts through mobile phones with the use of a smartphone application.
UPI enables peer-to-peer transactions as well as merchant payments. It has gained popularity due to its convenience, speed, and ease of use, revolutionizing digital payments in India.

NITI Aayog Launches Greening India’s Wastelands with Agroforestry (GROW) Report and Portal

Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW) report and portal was launched by NITI Aayog

Know! about GROW initiative

This multi-institutional effort led by NITI Aayog utilized remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
Using thematic datasets, an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) was developed for national-level prioritization.
The report provides state-wise and district-wise analysis, supporting government departments and industries for greening and restoration projects.
The “Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW)-Suitability Mapping” portal Bhuvan https://bhuvan-app1.nrsc.gov.in/asi_portal/ allows universal access to state and district-level data.
Currently, agroforestry covers 8.65% of India’s total geographical area, totalling about 28.42 million hectares.
Current report underscores the potential benefits of converting underutilized areas, especially wastelands, for agroforestry.
The GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

FADA Report on Electric Vehicles

As per the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), the sale of Electric Vehicles has registered a growth of 49.25 percent during the year 2023.

In order to promote adoption and strengthen the electric vehicles (EVs) in the country, following three schemes have been formulated by the Ministry of Heavy Industries:

Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India): The Government notified Phase-II of FAME India Scheme initially for a period of 5 years w.e.f. 01st April, 2019 with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 Crore which further enhanced to Rs. 11,500 Crore.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobile and Auto Component Industry: The Government on 15th September, 2021 approved the PLI Scheme for Automotive Sector with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 25,938 crores.
The scheme provides incentives up to 18% for electric vehicles.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, ‘National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC) Battery Storage’:
The Government on 12th May, 2021 approved PLI Scheme for manufacturing of ACC in the country with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 18,100 crore.
The Scheme envisages to establish a competitive ACC battery manufacturing set up in the country for 50 GWh. Additionally, 5GWh of niche ACC technologies is also covered under the scheme.

Lal Krishna Advani will be awarded Bharat Ratna

Lal Krishna Advani to be conferred with Bharat Ratna announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Know! about LK Advani

Lal Krishna Advani was born on November 8, 1927, in Karachi, present-day Pakistan.
He served as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its foundation in 1980.
He was first Home Minister and later Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999–2004).
Lal Krishna Advani was the 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004.
He was one of the co-founders of the BJP and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Know! about Bharat Ratna

Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award.
It was instituted in 1954.
It is awarded to any person regardless of his caste, occupation, status, or gender.
The award is given in recognition of outstanding service or performance in any field of human endeavor.
The Prime Minister himself recommends Bharat Ratna recipients to the President.
The recipient is presented with a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medal.
No monetary grant is given in this award.
According to Article 18(1) of the Constitution, it cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the name of the recipient.
The first Bharat Ratna was provided to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Sir C.V. Raman, and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari in 1954.
In 2019, the award was given to three eminent personalities: Nanaji Deshmukh, Pranab Mukherjee, and Bhupen Hazarika.

Karnataka announces digital detox initiative

The Karnataka government in collaboration with the All-India Game Developers Forum (AIGDF) will launch a Digital Detox Initiative.
This initiative aims to foster an environment where technology is used meaningfully and constructively, with a focus on mitigating its negative impacts.
Through this initiative, both online and offline Digital Detox Centers will be set up across the state of Karnataka offering personalised guidance where trained professionals will provide counseling and support to individuals seeking to navigate their relationship with technology, stated an official release.
The All-India Game Developers Forum (AIGDF) is a non-profit group under the auspices of the All-India Gaming Federation (AIGF), representing the interests of Indian game developers.

Two British-Indian musician in RPS Awards

The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) Awards for 2024 have nominated over 30 artists across 12 award categories.
Two British Indian musicians in the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards shortlist.
The two Indians selected are Alpesh Chauhan OBE and Jasdeep Singh Degun.
The RPS awards will be presented at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester on 5 March 2024.

Maia-Aricha route

The first trial movement of vessels carrying stone aggregates from Maia Port in India to on the Sultanganj Port in Bangladesh Maia-Aricha route successfully took place
The Bangladesh flag vessel M V Desh Bangla carrying stone aggregates was flagged-off by Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways from Maia Inland Customs Port in West Bengal.
The trial movement from Maia to Sultanganj through IBP route no. 5 & 6 will add new dimensions to the waterways based transportation between India and Bangladesh as it is the shortest waterway route between the two countries.
The operationalisation of Maia Terminal is expected to be a game-changer as it would shift 2.6 million tonnes per annum of Bangladesh bound export cargo from road to waterways.
The Maia-Aricha route (Protocol Route 5 & 6) will reduce the distance from NW1 to Bangladesh and North Eastern Region by 930 kilometres.
In order to improve bilateral trade between the two nations, the government of Bangladesh has agreed to carry out five trial runs of vessel movement between Maia and Sultanganj.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW)has taken up several infrastructure projects on National Waterways 1, Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route and NW2 through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) with the objective of improving connectivity with Bangladesh and the North Eastern Region through waterways.

Inland Water Transport (IWT) – Benefits and Need

Inland Water Transport (IWT) is a highly cost-effective mode of transportation, particularly for bulk cargo like coal, iron ore, cement, food grains, and fertilizer. Despite its advantages, its current share in India’s modal mix is only 2%.
The government aims to increase this share to 5% by 2030 under the Maritime India Vision (MIV)-2030.
To achieve this goal, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has identified 25 new National Waterways (NWs) through feasibility studies to make them navigable for transportation.
To enhance the modal share of coastal shipping and inland water transport, 46 initiatives have been identified in Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the 200^th Janmotsav – Gyan Jyoti Parv Smaranotsav Samaroh on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati
The President said that next year, Arya Samaj will complete 150 years of its establishment. She expressed confidence that all the people associated with Arya Samaj will continue to move forward in the direction of implementing Swamiji’s vision of making a better world.

Know! about Dayanand Saraswati

12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883)
He was an Indian philosopher, social leader and founder of the Arya Samaj, a reform movement of Hinduism.
His book Satyarth Prakash has remained one of the influential text on the philosophy of the Vedas and clarifications of various ideas and duties of human beings.
He was the first to give the call for Swaraj as “India for Indians” in 1876, a call later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak
Denouncing the idolatry and ritualistic worship, he worked towards reviving Vedic ideologies.
He was a sanyasi (ascetic) from boyhood and a scholar. He believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas.
Dayananda advocated the doctrine of Karma and Reincarnation.
He emphasized the Vedic ideals of brahmacharya, including celibacy and devotion to God.
Among Dayananda’s contributions were his opposition to untouchability, promotion of the equal rights for women and his commentary on the Vedas from Vedic Sanskrit in Sanskrit as well as in Hindi.

‘SWATI’ (Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation) Portal launched

Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Prof Ajay Kumar Sood today launched “Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal, aimed at creating a single online portal representing Indian Women and Girls in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine)
The Portal has been launched on the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science at Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi
The Portal is a complete interactive database; and the first-of-its-kind in India which is developed, hosted and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi
The other objectives of the SWATI Portal include to scale up the effort exponentially to include each and every Indian woman in science, across all career stages and subjects, spanning both Academia and the Industry enabling reliable and statistically significant long term research on the issues of equality, diversity and inclusivity in India

Parliament passes the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill 202

The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed by the Parliament, to include ‘Pahari Ethnic Group, Paddari Tribe, Koli and Gadda Brahmin’ communities in the list of STs of UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 9^th February 2024 to amend the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989 with respect to the UT of J&K. Earlier, the Bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha on 6^th February 2024.

Andhra Pradesh

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is intended to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes regarding Andhra Pradesh.

The following inclusions will be made in list of Scheduled Tribes of Andhra Pradesh: –

Inclusion of ‘Bondo Porja’ and ‘Khond Porja’, that are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), at entry 25 in the ST list of Andhra Pradesh.
Inclusion of ‘Konda Savaras’, that are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), at entry 28 in the ST list of Andhra Pradesh.

Odisha

The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposed to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in relation to Odisha.

Brand Guardianship Index 2024

Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani has been ranked the top Indian and second in the world in the Brand Guardianship Index 2024.
Brand Guardianship Index 2024 is compiled by Brand Finance.
Ma Huateng, CEO of Chinese company Tencent, has secured the top position.
Mukesh Ambani serves as the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited.
In Brand Finance’s survey, Ambani got a BGI score of 80.3.
As per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Mukesh Ambani’s current net worth is $109 billion.
He is the 11th richest person in the world.

Lifetime Achievement Award

PT Usha was honored with the Life Time Achievement Award by the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) and Delhi Sports Journalists Association (DSJA).
PT Usha has been given this award after Vijay Amritraj, Prakash Padukone, Sunil Gavaskar and Milkha Singh (posthumously).
PT Usha won 103 international medals for India in her career between 1977 and 2000.
The Indian Olympic Association was established in 1927.
The Indian Olympic Association is recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Grammy Award 2024

Five Indian musicians, including famous tabla player Zakir Hussain and flute player Rakesh Chaurasia, won the most prestigious ‘Grammy Awards 2024’ awards in the field of music.
Zakir Hussain won three Grammy Awards while Rakesh Chaurasia won two.
The 66th Grammy Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles, USA.
Shakti, a fusion music group of Indian musicians, has won the 2024 Grammy Awards in the category of Best Global Music Album for ‘This Moment’.

Green propulsion system

A Green Propulsion System, developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been successfully in- orbit functionality on a payload launched by PSLV C-58 mission.
The TDF is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Defence executed by DRDO under the ‘Make in India’ initiative for funding innovation in defense and aerospace, especially to start-ups and MSMEs.

Know! about Green Propulsion System

The Green Propulsion System consists of indigenously-developed propellant, fill and drain valves, latch valve, solenoid valve, catalyst bed, drive electronics, etc.
ISRO has made a beginning by developing an eco-friendly solid propellant based on Glycidyl Azide Polymer (GAP) as fuel and Ammonium Di-Nitramide (ADN) as oxidizer at the laboratory level, which will eliminate the emission of chlorinated exhaust products from rocket motors.
Executed by Bengaluru-based startup Bellatrix Aerospace Pvt Ltd, the project involves a 1N Class Green Monopropellant thruster designed for microsatellite attitude control and orbit maintenance.

Know! about TDF Scheme

Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme is a major program under the Ministry of Defence.
It has been implemented by DRDO under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Allocation for TDF scheme in Budget 2024-25

The allocation for the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme is Rs 60 crore, which is specifically designed for new start-ups, MSMEs and academics.
Which attracts young bright minds interested in innovation and developing specific technology in the field of defense in collaboration with DRDO.

Bilateral investment treaty with U.A.E.

Recently, The Union Cabinet of India has approved a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.).
It aims to enhance bilateral economic engagement, particularly in manufacturing and foreign direct investment (FDI).
The approval is expected to boost investor confidence, attract large investments, and create opportunities for foreign investments and overseas direct investments.
The Bilateral Investment Treaty aligns with the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat, promoting domestic manufacturing, reducing import dependence, and increasing exports.
India and the U.A.E. had previously implemented a free trade agreement in May 2022.

Know! about India and UAE Relations

The UAE is one of India’s largest trading partners, and bilateral trade between the two countries has been steadily growing.
Both countries have sought to enhance economic cooperation through initiatives such as joint ventures, investments, and collaborations in various sectors.
The UAE is a crucial supplier of oil and gas to India, meeting a significant portion of India’s energy needs.

Advocate-on-record

Recently, the Supreme Court designated 11 women lawyers as senior advocates, a first in a single round of appointments.
A committee led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud designated a total of 56 lawyers and advocate- on-record (AoR) as senior advocates.
This marked a significant moment for gender representation in senior legal roles.
Senior advocates in India have certain privileges, including a separate dress code, priority in court hearings, and the right to sit in a designated area of the court.
However, they are not allowed to advertise, solicit clients, or directly contact clients for work.

Know! about Advocate-on-record

An Advocate-on-Record (AOR) is a legal professional who can practice before the Supreme Court of India.
They are entitled to act and plead for a party in the Supreme Court.

Talabira Thermal Power Project

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Talabira thermal power project in Odisha.
The project aims to provide affordable electricity in the state, with a capacity of 3200 MW.
The government has approved the establishment of a 2400 MW Ultra Super Critical Thermal Power Plant at Talabira through NLC India Limited (NLCIL).
Ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants are designed to operate at extremely high temperatures and pressures.
The project holds a valuation exceeding Rs 27,000 crore and aligns with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat vision.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is India’s largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Established in 1964, BHEL is a leading global power equipment manufacturer and one of the earliest and significant contributors to building an Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

India’s First Copper-Clad Bapu Tower Built in Patna

India’s first largest Bapu Tower, dedicated to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, has been completed in Patna, Bihar.
Bapu Tower is located in Gardanibagh, Patna.
The height of this tower is 120 feet. This is a 6-storey tower.
The cost of building Bapu Tower is Rs 129 crore.
For tourists, this building has an excellent exhibition of historical events related to the life of Mahatma
Gandhi, Gandhi’s thoughts, his role in the freedom struggle, his attachment to Bihar, the work done by the Bihar government to establish Bapu’s ideals among the common people, etc.

LABHA

The Odisha government has launched the ‘Laghu Bana Jatya Drabya Kraya’ (LABHA) YojanA.
It is a 100% State-funded minimum support price (MSP) scheme for minor forest produce (MFP).
This initiative aims to benefit the large tribal population in Odisha, constituting 23% of the total population.
Under the scheme, the MSP of MFP will be determined annually by the State government, ensuring that primary collectors, primarily tribal individuals, can sell the MFP at the MSP.
The procurement centers, managed by Women SHGs (self-help groups) and other agencies assisted by Tribal
Development Cooperative Corporation Limited of Odisha (TDCCOL), aim to bring transparency and efficiency to the process.

Uniform Civil Code Bill

Recently, the Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill.
Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to implement a Uniform Civil Code, which presents common law for marriage, divorce, inheritance of property, etc.

Know! about Uniform Civil Code

It refers to the idea of replacing personal laws based on religious customs and traditions with a common set of civil laws applicable to all citizens irrespective of their religion.
The objective is to promote gender equality, secularism, and national integration by ensuring uniformity in laws related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and other personal matters.
India’s Constitution under Article 44 recommends the enactment of a Uniform Civil Code, but its implementation has been a subject of intense debate and controversy.
The debate often revolves around balancing the principles of secularism, individual rights, and cultural diversity
Proponents argue that a UCC would eliminate discriminatory practices and ensure equal rights for all citizens, particularly women, who often face inequality and injustice under personal laws governed by religious practices.
They believe that a common civil code would uphold the principles of gender justice and social equality enshrined in the Constitution.

7th Indian Ocean Conference

Dr. S Jaishankar visited Perth, Australia to attend the 7th Indian Ocean Conference
The Indian Ocean Conference is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the Indian Ocean Region, organized annually by the Ministry of External Affairs, in association with the India Foundation.
The 7th edition of the Indian Ocean Conference was held in Perth, Australia on 9-10 February 2024 in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia, along with S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore and Perth-US Asia Centre in Australia.
The theme of this edition of the conference is “Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean”.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar would address the inaugural session of the Conference.
The 7th Indian Ocean Conference will also bring together delegations led by Ministers from over 22 countries and senior officials from 16 countries and 6 multilateral organizations.
The Indian Ocean Conference has played an important role in bringing together countries and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)

Know! about Indian Ocean Conference

The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) is an annual event that brings together policymakers, experts, academics, and stakeholders from around the world to discuss and deliberate on issues about the Indian Ocean region.
It serves as a platform for dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration among countries bordering the Indian Ocean and those with interests in the region.
The conference covers a wide range of topics, including maritime security, economic development, trade and investment, environmental sustainability, cultural exchanges, and geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean region
Participants exchange views, share experiences, and explore avenues for enhancing regional cooperation and addressing common challenges.
The Indian Ocean region holds strategic significance due to its vast maritime trade routes, natural resources, and geopolitical importance.
The IOC aims to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region through constructive dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders.

World Sustainable Development Summit 2024

The 23rd Edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit, organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for hosting this crucial gathering, bringing together global leaders, experts, and stakeholders committed to the pursuit of sustainable development, a contemporaneous global need.
The 23rd edition of the annual flagship event of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)—the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS)—will be held from 7-9 February 2024 in New Delhi.
The Summit deliberations will focus on the umbrella theme: Leadership for Sustainable Development and Climate Justice.
For the past five decades, TERI has contributed by providing transformational solutions through policy research, technological innovation, and advocacy.

Know! about The Energy and Resources Institute:

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is a leading research organization based in India, dedicated to sustainable development, energy, and environmental issues.
Established in 1974, TERI conducts research, provides policy advice, and promotes education and awareness on issues related to energy, environment, and sustainable development.
TERI’s work covers a wide range of areas including renewable energy, climate change, sustainable agriculture, water resource management, biodiversity conservation, environmental governance, and green technology.
The organization aims to develop innovative solutions and strategies to address global challenges such as climate change, energy security, and sustainable development.

‘White Paper’ on ‘economic mismanagement’

The Modi government brought ‘White Paper’ on ‘economic mismanagement’ of UPA’s 2004-14 regime in Lok Sabha.
The White Paper is part of the Interim Budget that was presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
The White Paper will elaborate on India’s economic misery and its negative impacts on the economy during the UPA government.

Know! about White Paper

White papers are documents that outline the government’s proposed policies for future legislation.
They are published as Command Papers and may include a draft version of a Bill that is being planned.
This serves as a starting point for further discussions with interested or affected groups and allows for final changes to be made before the Bill is presented to Parliament.

India’s white paper

The White Paper, presented at the parliament will shed light on India’s economic difficulties during the UPA government and how it negatively impacted the economy.
It will also discuss the positive steps that could have been taken at that time to alleviate the situation.
The main focus of the white paper will be on the mismanagement of the economy during the previous regime.
The paper will provide further details on India’s economic struggles and their detrimental effects on the economy.
Additionally, it will highlight the benefits of taking constructive actions at that moment to improve the situation.

XGS-PON

C-DOT, the premier Telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India and Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-K) signed an agreement for ‘Developing Prototypes for 10-Gigabit-capable symmetric Passive Optical Network (i.e., XGS-PON) Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Unit (ONU).
The agreement is signed under the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) scheme of Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, which is a scheme for providing funding support to domestic companies and institutions involved in technology design, development, commercialization of telecommunication products and solutions to enable affordable broadband and mobile services in rural and remote areas.
Under this project, IIT Kharagpur will develop prototypes for 10-Gigabit-capable symmetric passive optical network (i.e., XGS-PON) optical line terminal (OLT) and optical network unit (ONU).
It is envisioned that the project will yield new design, development, and commercialization of the state-of-the-art 10 Gbps upstream and downstream access network technology solution. This will facilitate growth of affordable broadband and mobile services in India.

Know! about Passive optical network (PON)

A passive optical network (PON) is a system commonly used by telecommunications network providers that brings fiber optic cabling and signals all or most of the way to the end user.
Depending on where the PON terminates, the system can be described as fiber to the curb, fiber to the building or fiber to the home.
A PON system consists of an optical line terminal (OLT) at the communication company’s central office and several optical network units (ONUs) near end users.
The word passive simply describes the fact that optical transmission has no power requirements or active electronic parts once the signal is being transmitted across the network.
This is in contrast to active optical networks, which require electrically powered switching hardware to pass cells or frames across the fiber cabling.

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Current Affairs 06-10 Feb 2024