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Saturday, October 01, 2022

Daily Current Affairs, 01st October 2022

19:59

 


1)  International Day of Older Persons celebrates on 1st October

•October 1 is observed as the International Day of Older Persons across the globe. The day was introduced by the United Nations General Assembly with an aim of honouring the contribution of older persons and looking into the problems that they face. Older people make significant contributions to society via volunteer work, passing on experience and knowledge, and assisting their families with different responsibilities. As today we celebrate this occasion, let’s glance at its history and significance.


International Day of Older Persons 2022: Theme


•The overall umbrella theme for the United Nations International Day of Older Persons in 2022 is “Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World.” This theme will be celebrated by the NGO Committees on Ageing in New York, Geneva and Vienna – each with a unique and complementary approach to the overall theme. See below for more information.


2)  World Vegetarian Day 2022 observed on 01st October

•World Vegetarian Day is celebrated on the first day of October. It also kickstarts Vegetarian Awareness Month. This global day of advocacy and awareness celebrates the benefits of vegetarianism and encourages people to reduce their consumption of animal products. The day is commemorated to create awareness about the benefits of vegetarianism like reducing the risks of heart diseases and other health complications.


3)  World’s largest safari park to be developed in Gurugram

•World’s largest jungle safari park to be developed in Haryana. The World’s largest jungle safari park is spread across an area of 10000 acres in the Aravalli Mountain Range of Gurugram and Nuh District. This project will be the largest such project in the world.


4)  5G Launch: PM Modi says rollout of 5G a gift to 130 billion Indians

•5G Launch: The nation’s 5G services were officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 1st, 2022, ushering in a period of ultra-high-speed mobile internet, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The sixth iteration of the India Mobile Congress was also launched by PM Modi.


5)  Kazakhstan changes capital’s name from Nur-Sultan back to Astana

•Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is to restore the former name of the country’s capital, Astana, just three years after he renamed it in honour of his predecessor. Kazakhstan’s president has signed a law limiting presidential terms and reverting to the old name of the Central Asian country’s capital, in the latest step of breaking with the legacy of his predecessor. The bill also reinstated the capital’s name to Astana.


•The name was changed to Nur-Sultan in March 2019, in honour of outgoing president Nursultan Nazarbayev. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a bill on 24 Sept limiting presidential mandates to a single seven-year term, a day after parliament approved the measure.


6)  Eurozone Inflation Hits At 10%, A new High

•Inflation in the 19-member eurozone reached 10% in September, the highest it has ever been in the history of the common European currency, according to the latest flash estimate from Eurostat, the EU statistics agency. This is up from the 9.1% seen in August. Just one year ago, inflation was 3.2%.


7)  RBI Again Raises Rates By 50 Basis Points

•The global economy has been rattled by scorching inflation and geo-political tensions, forcing more central banks to join the US Federal Reserve in raising interest rates. So, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the repo rate (repurchase rate) for the fourth time in a row. The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to raise the policy rate by 50 basis points (1 basis point= 1/100th of a per cent).


8)  N S Rajan named as the new chairman of ASCI

•N S Rajan, new chairman of ASCI: The election of N S Rajan, Director of August One Partners LLP, as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) was done. Of the board meeting that followed the 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of ASCI, Saugata Gupta, Managing Director & CEO, Marico Limited, was elected Vice-Chairman, and Shashidhar Sinha, Chief Executive Officer at IPG Mediabrands India, was named Honorary Treasurer.
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The HINDU Notes – 01st October 2022

11:55

 


📰 Letting go of a chance to democratise telecom services

•The draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022 (Telecom Bill) — published for public consultation on September 21, 2022 — aims to create a legal framework attuned to the realities of the 21st century to ensure India’s socio-economic development. This Telecom Bill follows the release of the consultation paper, “Need for a new legal framework governing Telecommunication in India”, which was published on July 23, 2022. However, it fails to let go of the colonial moorings that have shaped the law around telecommunications in India for the past century.

A repackaging

•Instead, it represents multiple squandered opportunities for significant legislative reform. The Telecom Bill misses the opportunity for the democratisation of telecommunication services. Now, it has preferred a move towards centralisation of power through its new licensing regime. Here, the Telecom Bill also fails to inculcate the learnings evolved in courts and other institutions of authority, and instead repackages the provisions from pre-Independence laws to pass them off as legislative advancements. This is in lieu of enacting sweeping legislative reform which would cement user rights as the cornerstone of the Indian telecommunication sector.

•The Telecom Bill will usher in a wave of stricter regulations and centralised power by introducing licences for telecommunication services. The definition for such services has been significantly expanded under Clause 2(21) of the Telecom Bill to include online communication service providers such as WhatsApp, Apple Watch, Jitsi, etc. Such a move reflects historical baggage and flows from a long-standing argument and demand made by large telecom companies (‘telcos’) to bring online communication services under regulation for a ‘level-playing field’.

Threat to innovation, privacy protection

•The argument that over-the-top (OTT) services are a “substitute” of the services provided by telcos, often termed as the “same service, same rules” argument, is flawed as the two have inherently different functionalities. For instance, while telecom operators act as the gatekeepers to the underlying broadband infrastructure, OTT services can only be accessed through telco-controlled infrastructure. Introduction of OTT communication services under the ambit of telecommunication services is illustrative of a reductionist approach, wherein the diverse services provided by such OTT service providers such as social networking and video calling are aggregated, stripping it of its richness. Such a move may lead to uncertainty in treatment, build ad hocism, and pose overbearing compliance and legal costs on service providers, having deleterious effects on innovation.

•On September 14, 2020, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued recommendations on OTT regulation, which were broadly supportive of user choice and the demands raised mainly by digital rights organisations against placing regulatory burden on Internet communication services. However, the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) did not recognise these positive recommendations and also further diluted TRAI’s responsibility of providing recommendations to the central government prior to issuing licences under Clause 46. Moreover, the central government may, in exercising its exclusive privilege to issue a licence, require such online service providers to store data locally, in India. Such a data localisation requirement confers excessive discretion to the Government, and adversely affects the privacy of individuals.

•Further, the expansion of the definition of telecommunication services to include OTT communication services, coupled with the requirements for interception under Clause 24(2)(a) may signal the death knell for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in India. While previously Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 authorised interception of messages transmitted through telegraphs, this has not halted attempts, regardless of success, by the executive to expand the provision to include OTT communication services such as Whatsapp and Signal.

•Indeed, there is ongoing litigation before the Supreme Court of India in which the traceability requirement of the Information Technology Rules, 2021 is under challenge. However, the Telecom Bill formalises these attempts of the executive to bypass the privacy protecting practice of E2EE and requires OTT communication service providers such as Whatsapp and Signal to intercept or disclose any message or class of messages to the authorised officer. These attempts are in stark contrast with the recommendations and learnings evolved in the last decade by the Supreme Court in its right to privacy decision (2017) and the Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee Report on data protection (2018). Both of these signalled the urgent need for reform of the existing surveillance framework in the country due to its lack of independent oversight and propensity for misuse.

Suspension of net services

•Replicating this failure to learn from knowledge accumulated post-Independence, Clause 24(2)(b) of the Telecom Bill lays down, for the first time, a specific power for suspension of Internet services (Internet shutdowns). In addition to the impact Internet shutdowns have on the fundamental right to free speech of citizens, the high economic costs of such shutdowns have also been consistently raised as a criticism. Here, the Telecom Bill, which recognises socio-economic growth as one of its stated objectives, fails to take sufficient steps to deliver on its promise. The clause does not solve any of the issues that exist with the current framework for Internet shutdowns in India, specifically the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. Learnings and recommendations from the Supreme Court’s decision in 2020 in Anuradha Bhasin vs Union Of India and the 2021 report of the Standing Committee on Information Technology find no place in the Telecom Bill.

•The opportunity for significant legislative reform has been squandered not just for surveillance and Internet shutdowns but also for net neutrality. India has in the past adopted an indigenous and progressive approach towards net neutrality. However, we are today missing an opportunity to set global standards by not introducing principles of net neutrality in the Telecom Bill. DoT is inviting comments from the public till October 20, 2022. This is a bill that impacts everyday Internet users, their choices and safety. Thus, it must be engaged with widely.

📰 As India ages, keeping an eye on the elderly

•The United Nations marks today as International Day for Older Persons (October 1), as part of the organisation’s efforts to draw attention to healthy ageing. Recently, a report by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), “World Population Prospects 2022”, has projected big shifts in global demographic patterns in the coming decades.

•As global birth rates stabilise and shrink, 16% of the world population by 2050 is expected to be made up of people over 65 years. India will be home to the largest population in the world which would include a large elderly sub-population. This demographic change will have a profound impact on its health systems. In this, eye care service delivery is uniquely placed to be the first point-of-contact with the elderly and to also help with health surveillance and planning.

Changes to population structure

•The “World Population Prospects 2022” report estimates that by 2050, the global population will be 9.7 billion people. By then, those older than 65 years will be twice as many as children under five. That year is also projected to be a pivotal year for India’s population too. The report projects India’s population to be 1.7 billion by 2050, having overtaken China to be the world’s most populous country. Eight countries — India is among them — will account for more than half of the world’s increasing population by 2050.

•Previous United Nations reports have projected that the proportion of India’s elderly population will double to be nearly 20% of the total population by that year. The prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, or disabilities related to vision, hearing or mobility is higher among the elderly. The change in demographic structure will increase the pressure on public health systems that are not geared to deliver universal health care along with social security measures such as old-age and disability pensions.

Eye care and elderly health

•The Hyderabad Ocular Morbidity in the Elderly Study (HOMES) by the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute has been producing a series of systematic reports on various aspects of health, quality of life, mental health, morbidity, and disability amongst the elderly living in homes-for-the-aged in Hyderabad, Telangana. Using eye care as a point of entry, the study has been measuring a variety of health and social metrics in over 1,000 participants (all aged over 60), spread across a range of socio-economic circumstances. Over 30% of the elderly in the study had distance vision loss and over 50% had near vision impairment (they needed reading glasses). Nearly half the participants had at least one disability and a third of them had multiple morbidities. About 70% of them were using at least one assistive device, spectacles being the most common. The study also explored the many links between vision impairment and an elderly person’s mental health and confidence. People with impaired vision had a greater fear, and risk, of falling (a major cause of disability and hospitalisation among the elderly). This reduced their movement and independence, leading to depression. Addressing their vision impairment improved lives.

•The HOMES data show us that the first step towards tackling basic issues of access and confidence in the elderly is to address vision loss. Eye examinations are also good opportunities to assess and recognise other systemic issues in the elderly. The way forward can then be a package of interventions, including assistive devices for sight, hearing, and mobility, or referrals to psychiatric support for depression or other mental health issues. In this way, eye care can catalyse a model of elderly care that will help us recalibrate our approach to this changing world.

•There is more. Most eye conditions typically affect those who are very young or the elderly — age groups that are dependent on others for health access. Therefore, the Indian eye care model has always prioritised primary care ‘vision’ centres, bringing care closer to those in need. Chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension lead to irreversible vision loss and so, the sector has been building referral networks connecting with other health specialities.

A perspective

•Eye care has also been at the cutting edge of imaging technologies and tele-health, creating portable devices and apps that remove access issues for those who cannot travel far. Crucially, eye health in India has many cross-subsidy models to help alleviate the financial burden on individuals.

•This set of experiences and expertise has put eye care in a unique position to help us navigate the transition to an ageing society. The future of elderly care needs to be long term, comprehensive, and integrated, and must be oriented towards primary care to be accessible. It must account for all kinds of socio-economic realities, working to ensure that no elderly person is denied care irrespective of their financial status. A comprehensive eye examination can be the first step towards enabling such a healthy and happy future for our elderly citizens.

📰 No discrimination

•The Supreme Court’s ruling holding that single and unmarried women have the same right to a medically safe abortion as married women is a necessary intervention to set right an anomaly between the letter of the law and its practice. Anchored on the equality clause in the Constitution, as well as on the right to dignity, privacy and bodily autonomy of women, the Court has ruled that there is no rationale for excluding single or unmarried women from the categories of women who could seek abortion care after the completion of 20 weeks of pregnancy, but before 24 weeks. The Delhi High Court had declined to allow the termination of the pregnancy of a 25-year-old woman who was in a consensual relationship, but did not want to carry the pregnancy to term after her partner declined to marry her. The reason cited was that being unmarried, and the pregnancy having occurred consensually, she was not eligible for the benefit of the amendment under the rules. The High Court took a technical view, as Rule 3B, which listed the women eligible for termination of pregnancy — such as rape survivors, minors, those with physical disabilities and mental illness — did not explicitly include single women who had become pregnant in a consensual relationship.

•However, the Court has given a purposive meaning to the rules. “Change in marital status” as one of the reasons for which abortion during the extended upper limit of 24 weeks is permissible. As the rationale here is a possible change in the woman’s material circumstances, the Court has ruled that even abandonment by the partner could constitute a change in circumstances that could impact an earlier decision to carry on with the pregnancy. The legislature has allowed abortions up to the 24th week of pregnancy, if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion that continuing the pregnancy would involve a risk to the woman’s life or cause grave injury to her health. Here too, the Court has taken a purposive view, laying down that an unwanted pregnancy affects a woman’s physical and mental health, rendering it quite important that she alone should decide on whether to undergo an abortion. On a question that did not directly arise in this case, the Court has said rape survivors who may legally seek an abortion in the extended period will also include survivors of marital rape. This judicial view may prevent questions being raised as to whether pregnancy caused by marital rape, which is not a crime, could also be terminated under this rule. At a time when unsafe abortions remain a major cause of maternal mortality, it is a significant verdict that advances the cause of safe abortion services.

📰 U.S. sanctions Indian petrochemical company for Iran oil purchases
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THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 01.10.2022

11:23
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Friday, September 30, 2022

THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 30.09.2022

07:13
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Thursday, September 29, 2022

Daily Current Affairs, 29th September 2022

18:38

 


1)  World Heart Day 2022 Observed On September 29

•Every year on the 29th of September, people all around the world observe World Heart Day. The day is observed to raise awareness about the rising concerns of heart health, cardiovascular illnesses, the impact of overexercising on the heart and how heart care is of utmost importance.


World Heart Day 2022: Theme


•The theme for World Heart Day 2022 is ‘USE HEART FOR EVERY HEART’. With increasing global awareness about cardiovascular diseases and learning to manage the disease. In the theme ‘USE HEART FOR EVERY HEART’, “Use Heart” means to think differently, make the right decisions, act with courage and help others. Similarly, “For Every Heart” involves the use of “FOR” and shifts the focus from the actions themselves to the heir of such actions, allowing for wider application of the campaign while also making it more personal.


2)  International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2022

•On 29 September 2022, the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste is observed globally. Reducing food loss and waste is of significant importance as it contributes to the realization of broader improvements to agri-food systems toward achieving food security, food safety, improving food quality and delivering on nutritional outcomes. Reducing food loss and waste also contributes significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as pressure on land and water resources.


International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2022: Theme


•The theme for International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2022 is “Stop Food Loss and waste, for the people, for the planet”. Reducing food losses and waste is essential in a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly on the rise since 2014, and tons and tons of edible food are lost and/or wasted every day.


3)  Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates 13th FICCI Global Skills Summit 2022

•Union Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated and addressed the 13th FICCI Global Skills Summit 2022 on the theme of “Education to Employability – Making It Happen.” in New Delhi. The Summit would look through the NEP lens and focus on how India can become the “Skill Capital of the World,” using the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) as an underlying theme.


4)  MoHUA launched Swachh Toycathon

•The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched Swachh Toycathon under the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav. The competition aims to explore solutions for use of waste in the creation or manufacturing of toys. Secretary, MoHUA, Manoj Joshi, launched the event on MyGov portal and released the toolkit.


5)  Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 Extended Further For 6 Months

•The Commerce Ministry announced the extension of the existing foreign trade policy by six months. The reason behind the development is currency volatility and global uncertainty. The ministry said, the geo-political situation is not suitable for long-term foreign trade policy. 


6)  Ministry of Home Affairs bans PFI and its associates for five years

•Ministry of Home Affairs bans PFI and its associates: The Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates were banned by the Centre for a period of five years, days after law enforcement agents tried in a campaign to suppress the activities of the group. The Ministry of Home Affairs used the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to enact the ban, claiming that the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliates pose a “major threat to internal security of the country” and are connected to terrorist organisations like the ISIS. Before banning, Agencies raided the PFI offices and found unaccounted cash and other objectionable documents.


7)  New CDS of India: Lt General Anil Chauhan

•Lt General Anil Chauhan – New CDS of India: Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan, a retired general, is appointed as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by the Center. The retired Lt. General will serve as Secretary to the Government of India’s Department of Military Affairs, according to a statement from the ministry of defence. The appointment was made a few months after the nation’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, perished in a helicopter accident in the Niligiris area of Tamil Nadu. Throughout his 40-year career, Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan has successfully occupied a number of positions. It is crucial to learn more about his life’s path.


8)  Uttar Pradesh wins Ayushmann Utkrishta award 2022

•Ayushmann Utkrishta Award 2022 has been given to Uttar Pradesh for adding several healthcare facilities to the health facility register. With 28728 new healthcare facilities added to the National Health Facility Register, Uttar Pradesh is the best performing state in the nation. With over 2 crore ABHA Accounts, the state is also the second best State for creating Ayushmann Bharat health accounts (ABHA). These are the state’s initial few landmarks.


9)  Uttar Pradesh govt gives nod to Bundelkhand’s first tiger reserve

•The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has gave a green signal for the development of the first tiger reserve in the Bundelkhand region. The tiger reserve will span across 52,989.863 hectares of land including 29,958.863 hectares of buffer area and 23,031.00 hectares of the core area which was already notified as Ranipur wildlife sanctuary in the Chitrakoot district of the state.


•The Ranipur Tiger Reserve area covered by northern tropical dry deciduous forests is home to tiger, leopard, bear, spotted deer, sambhar, chinkara, reptiles and other mammals. The establishment of Ranipur Tiger Reserve will prove to be a turning point for the conservation of wildlife in Bundelkhand along with the opening of the eco-tourism potential of the area creating immense employment opportunities benefiting the local population.


10)  Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appointed as prime minister

•Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed as the prime minister by a royal decree. The crown prince, who is heir to the throne held by King Salman, already wields wide powers and is seen as the kingdom’s day-to-day leader. The royal decree appointing him as prime minister was carried by the Saudi Press Agency.


•The reshuffle kept another son, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, as energy minister, the king said in the royal decree. The crown prince, known as MbS, is promoted from defence minister and has been the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter and a major U.S. ally in the Middle East.


11)  ADB to Devote $14 billion to Help Ease Food Crisis in Asia-Pacific

•The Asian Development Bank said, it will devote at least $14 billion through 2025 to help ease a worsening food crisis in Asia-Pacific. The development lender said it plans a comprehensive program of support to help the 1.1 billion people in the region who lack healthy diets due to poverty and soaring food prices. The Manila, Philippines-based ADB made the announcement during its annual meeting.


12)  Vijay Jasuja named as Independent Director of Stashfin

•Leading Fintech platform Stashfin has appointed BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance) expert and former MD and CEO of SBI Cards, Vijay Jasuja as Non-Executive Independent Director. He also served as a Director at PNB Cards. Jasuja, an industry veteran, has more than 40 years of BFSI experience in leadership positions across Indian and overseas markets, has been the MD and CEO of SBI Cards, and director, of PNB Cards. He has held multiple leadership positions at SBI including General Manager, Hyderabad; General Manager (IBG), Mumbai; Country Head and CEO, Maldives and Regional Head, Sub-Saharan Africa.


13)  Senior Advocate R Venkataramani named as new Attorney General of India

•Senior advocate R Venkataramani has been appointed as the new Attorney General of India. The President has appointed Mr Venkataramani as the new Attorney General for a period of three years from the 1st of October. The notification regarding Mr Venkataramani’s appointment as the Attorney General was issued today by the Department of Legal Affairs, Union Ministry of Law and Justice. Mr Venkataramani will replace current Attorney General KK Venugopal whose term ends on September 30, 2022. Mr Venugopal is currently on his third extension.


14)  Hitachi Astemo planted its first solar power plant in India

•Hitachi Astemo installed its India’s first ground-mounted solar power plant of 3 megawatts (MW) at its Jalgaon manufacturing plant. The 3 megawatts (MW) solar power plant will be built in an area of 43301 sqm. The ground-mounted solar power plant will consist of 7128 ground-mounted solar panels and 10 inverters. Hitachi Astemo is known for the development, manufacture, sale, and service of automotive and transportation components. This solar power plant will embark on its new journey in the field of sustainable energy in India.
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Vision IAS Weekly Focus Magazine 2022 Geo-spatial data and National Security PDF

16:33

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Magazine 2022 Geo-spatial data and National Security PDF

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The HINDU Notes – 29th September 2022

16:25

 


📰 Talent, recognition

Science awards are an encouragement and should not be cut down 

•The Centre has decided that awards, prizes and fellowships by various ministries and departments need a wholesale relook. The Ministry of Home Affairs, which is executing this directive, has moved much beyond its usual remit of awards for police officers and gallantry medals and irrupted into the world of scientific and medical research. India’s scientific ministries recently made presentations to the Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla, on awards given to scientists at different stages of their career. They also had to list out which were ‘National Awards’ and which were funded out of private endowments. Though a final call is yet to be taken, the quorum — and this consisted of the Secretaries, or the heads of each of these ministries — was of the opinion that most awards ought to be done away with and ministries could either retain only some of the National Awards or institute one or two ‘high status’ awards. The rationale for pruning, Mr. Bhalla has said, follows from a “vision” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding “Transformation of the Awards Ecosystem”. In 2018, Mr. Modi had said that his government had modified the system of the Padma awards and ensured it recognised ordinary people doing selfless work rather than well-known personalities who repeatedly bag them. The awards, Mr. Bhalla has said, ought to be restricted, and have a transparent selection process.

•Awards and prizes recognise achievement, but in science and medical research, they are also meant to spur younger scientists towards loftier, imaginative goals. Unlike in sport — or even gallantry awards — where it is relatively easier to define a set of benchmarks and confer medals on achievers, scientific research is open ended, circuitous and — as the history of science reveals — punctuated by lucky breaks. It is possible to train talented youth to be Olympians or international cricketers but impossible to create an Einstein or a Chandrasekhar. Almost every Nobel Laureate in the modern era has won various secondary prizes and recognition in their early career and every year; there is as much debate on who was omitted as on the person who won. Recognising early career potential will remain fraught with subjectivity and, with fewer awards on offer, could provoke increased discontent. Contrary to the Prime Minister’s vision, fewer awards may actually miss many more promising talents and amplify epaulettes to the already decorated. Awards cost ministries money but the meeting did not discuss whether cutting costs was a factor in the rationalisation. As it is unclear what existing problem the new scheme solves, the Centre should reconsider the merits of its proposal.

📰 ASI finds Buddhist caves, temples in Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve

46 new sculptures have come to light in exploration that took place 84 years after the last such effort in 1938

•The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) earlier this year discovered Buddhist caves and stupas, and Brahmi inscriptions, dating back to the 2nd century, and Hindu temples from the 9th-11th centuries, and possibly the world’s largest Varaha sculpture also dating to the same period, at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

•The Varaha sculpture is among the many monolithic sculptures of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu that were discovered by an ASI at the national park earlier this year. The exploration took place 84 years after the last such effort in 1938.

•“A total of 46 new sculptures have come to light and have been reported,” Shivakant Bajpai, Superintending Archaeologist, Jabalpur Circle, Madhya Pradesh, who led the exploration team, said here on Wednesday. Ten sculptures had already been found and reported in the previous ASI survey of 1938, he said.

•Dr. Bajpai said the exploration in the Bandhavgarh area is being carried out in three phases, the first of which was completed in the Tala range in May-June this year. In the next two phases, the Khitouli and Magadhi ranges of the tiger reserve will be explored.

•The ASI team discovered 26 mostly Buddhist caves dating back to the 2nd and 5th centuries. The caves and some of their remains had ‘Chaitya’ (rounded) doors and stone beds typical of Mahayana Buddhism sites. This discovery brings the total number of caves found in Bandhavgarh to 76, as 50 are already in the records since the last survey.

•Apart from this, the ASI team found 24 inscriptions in Brahmi text, all dating back to the 2nd-5th centuries. The inscriptions mention sites such as Mathura and Kaushambi, and Pavata, Vejabharada and Sapatanaairikaa. The kings they mention include Bhimsena, Pothasiri and Bhattadeva.

•The remains of 26 temples date to the Kalachuri period between 9th-11th centuries. In addition to this, two Saiva mutts have also been documented. The Kalachuri dynasty, which spread over parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, is also associated with the earliest Ellora and Elephanta cave monuments.

•Some remains of the Gupta period, such as door jambs and carvings in caves, have also been found.

•Observing that the coming to light of these archaeological remains has added a new chapter to the history of the region also known as Baghelkhand, ASI Director and spokesperson Vasant Swarnkar said: “We certainly need to conserve this, but the first step has to be documentation,” adding, “Though we want to explore faster, the problem is with permissions as it is a reserved forest area.”

📰 Rediscovering the Bay of Bengal

•The Bay of Bengal (the Bay) is experiencing an increase in geo-economic, geopolitical, and geo-cultural activity. It is poised to once again play a key role in shaping the maritime order in Asia. Therefore, it is noteworthy that at the fourth BIMSTEC summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the opening of the Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBS) at Nalanda University. The official launch of the CBS has once again demonstrated India’s commitment to advancing constructive agendas by forging connections and setting up platforms for all those with an interest in the Bay.

Rethinking the Bay

•CBS will offer collaborations in areas such as geo-economics and geopolitics, ecology, trade and connectivity, maritime security, maritime law, cultural heritage, and blue economy to generate opportunities for the Bay region. This will strengthen India’s overall framework for maritime engagement, which aims to advance sustainable economic growth for all by fostering closer nautical ties.

•The Bay has long been a major commerce hub for the Indian Ocean. It created a conduit between the East and the West in terms for trade and culture. An Indo-Pacific orientation and the realignment of global economic and military power towards Asia have had a considerable impact on the Bay region. The key sea lanes of communication in this area are lifelines for global economic security and are crucial to the energy security that powers the economies of many countries in the region. Further, non-traditional dangers including terrorism and climate change have become more prevalent. The Bay also provides an opportunity for greater regional cooperation in the environmentally friendly exploration of marine and energy resources. The Bay has a biodiverse marine environment. It receives water from some of the world’s largest rivers. It is a partially enclosed sea that has given rise to several geological characteristics. It is home to many rare and endangered marine species and mangroves, which are essential to the survival of the ecology and the fishing sector.

Disorder at the Bay

•The region’s maritime environment has changed as a result of major powers expanding their economic and geopolitical influence. Political and cultural engagement, together with economic competition, have taken on new dimensions. More crucially, the Bay’s ecosystem is going through an unprecedented crisis brought on by widespread environmental exploitation and geopolitical unrest. Species extinction is a result of careless exploitation of the maritime environment, which has severe consequences on biodiversity.

•Problems such as population growth, altered land use, excessive resource exploitation, salinisation, sea level rise, and climate change are exerting significant strain on the Bay’s environment. Operational discharge from small and medium feeder ships, shipping collisions, unintentional oil spills, industrial waste, pollution, and the accumulation of non-biodegradable plastic litter are all contributing to the deterioration of the Bay. A dead zone has formed as a result, and the mangrove trees that protect the shore from the fury of nature are under more threat than ever.

•For a better knowledge of challenges, and strategies to overcome them for the sustainable development of the region, more focused and interdisciplinary study is required on these issues. By founding the CBS, Nalanda University has already started its journey and given the nation a unique interdisciplinary research centre devoted to Bay-focused teaching, research, and capacity building. Additionally, scholars from many countries and academic streams are already participating in CBS’s first certificate programme on the Bay.

•It is essential that nautical neighbours develop a partnership and cooperate because of the maritime domain’s interrelated and interdependent nature, transnational character, and cross-jurisdictional engagement of various governments and diverse organisations and enterprises. A few concerns that need immediate attention include expanding cooperation in maritime safety and security, enhancing cooperation on maritime connectivity and the ease of maritime transit, and boosting investment possibilities in the maritime connectivity sector. The latter subject involves addressing non-traditional threats and fostering group efforts to reduce illicit, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Standardising and harmonising data reporting remains a challenge. Furthermore, regional marine entities should strive to balance opportunities and goals on a national, regional, and international scale.

•Littoral governments need to support and promote skill-building, research, and training. Countries in the region will need to mobilise incentives and investments, manage oceanic affairs more effectively, and support people as they switch to alternative lifestyles. Working together is important due to shared nautical concerns and the complexity of the marine environment.

📰 Globe-changing reverberations of the Ukraine war
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THE HINDU NEWSPAPER IMPORTANT ARTICLES 29.09.2022

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Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Daily Current Affairs, 28th September 2022

19:45

 


1)  International Day for Universal Access to Information 2022

•UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared 28 September as International Day for Universal Access to Information. The 2022 edition of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) will be an opportunity to discuss e-Governance and Artificial Intelligence with a view to assuring the Right to Access Information. Universal access to information means that everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information for healthy and inclusive knowledge societies.


International Day for Universal Access to Information 2022: Theme


•The theme of the Global Conference on Universal Access to Information in 2022 is “Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance and Access to Information”. This conference is set to take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It will include a high-level opening and an inter-ministerial roundtable on Access to Information and Artificial Intelligence with international experts.


2)  Uttarakhand awarded for adventure tourism & all round development of tourism

•On the occasion of World Tourism Day, Uttarakhand received the first prize in two categories, for the best adventure tourism destination and all-around development of tourism from the Ministry of Tourism. The State’s Tourism and Culture minister Satpal Maharaj received the awards from Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar during the presentation of the National Tourism Awards 2018-19 in New Delhi.


•Among the many programmes being organised to encourage winter tourism, the major events include Trek of the Year – Pindari Glacier in Bageshwar district from October 1 to November 15 and the Bagchi Bugyal trek in Chamoli district from December 1 to January 15, Winterline Carnival in Mussoorie and Nainital during December, rafting championship in Champawat from December 2022 to January 2023, national skiing championship at Auli in February 2023 and International Yoga Festival to be held in Rishikesh in March 2023, added the minister.


•Meanwhile, to encourage tourism a photography and videography contest was also launched on the occasion of World Tourism Day. Interested participants are invited to participate online. Winners will be selected in five categories with the total prize money being Rs 25 lakh.


3)  Ministry of Rural Development Launches the JALDOOT App

•JALDOOT App Launched: In front of Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and MoS Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil, the JALDOOT App and JALDOOT App e-brochure was introduced by MoS for Rural Development and Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste. Panchayati Raj and the Ministry of Rural Development collaborated to develop the JALDOOT app. Gram Rojgar Sahyak will be able to use the app to measure the water level of the well twice a year, before and after the monsoon.


4)  Italy PM election: Giorgia Meloni elected as First woman PM of Italy

•Giorgia Meloni looks set to become Italy’s first woman prime minister at the head of its most right-wing government since World War Two after leading a conservative alliance to triumph at the election. Meloni will take over from Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, who pushed Rome to the centre of EU policy-making during his 18-month stint in office, forging close ties with Paris and Berlin. The Italian far-right leader Meloni party came top in general elections. Leading the next government, she will work for the betterment of all Italians.


5)  Vinayak Godse to be new CEO of Data Security Council of India

•Data Security Council of India New CEO: Data Security Council of India (DSCI), a leading industry organisation founded by NASSCOM, promoted senior vice president Vinayak Godse and named him the organization’s new CEO. Vinayak Godse will succeed Rama Vedashree, who oversaw Data Security Council of India (DSCI) for nearly six years. Vedashree also served on the Justice BN Srikrishna committee, which was charged with developing a model for the nation’s Personal Data Protection Bill.


6)  Bakery foods company Britannia Industries appoints Rajneet Kohli as CEO

•India’s largest bakery foods company, Britannia Industries has appointed Rajneet Kohli as executive director and chief executive officer effective September 26, 2022. He has served in numerous senior leadership roles during his 25-year-long career in Asian Paints and Coca-Cola and joins Britannia from food services company Jubilant FoodWorks. Under his leadership, Jubilant FoodWorks has delivered sustained profitable growth and emerged as the largest QSR chain in the country with over 1600 stores.
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APTI PLUS Current Affairs Monthly Magazine September 2022 PDF

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 APTI PLUS Current Affairs Monthly Magazine September 2022 PDF

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