Current Affairs

All (4265)Current Affairs (4243)Mains Practice (77)Mains PYQs by Subjects (40)

Dayanand Saraswati’s life is an inspiration for Modi government : Shah

Context: “The Prime Minister is working for national awakening, a concept originally based on the philosophy and teachings of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the 148th Foundation Day celebrations of Arya Samaj.

Basic information about Dayanand Saraswati

  • Born in 1824 at Tankara, Gujarat. 
  • Associated Movement: Arya Samaj, Shuddhi Movement, Back to the Vedas
  • Relevant Publications: Satyarth Prakash (1875 & 1884); Sanskarvidhi (1877 & 1884); Yajurved Bhashyam (1878 to 1889)

Early Life and Education

As a Brahmin, he was taught religious rituals, piety and purity, importance of fasting from a very early age. 

Spiritual Indoctrination 

After his sister’s death, he began asking questions about life, death and the afterlife to his parents, to which they had no answers. 

On being asked to get married following societal traditions, Mool Shankar ran away from home. He wandered all over the country for the next 20 years. 

At last he arrived at Mathura where he met Swami Virajananda. Mool Shankar became his disciple and Swami Virajananda directed him to learn directly from the Vedas. He found all his questions regarding life, death and afterlife answered during his study of Vedas. 

His belief system

  • He was a believer in Hinduism just as the Vedas have outlined, devoid of any corruption and embellishments. 
  • Preserving the purity of the faith was of utmost important to him. 
  • He advocated the concepts of Dharma which he believed to be free from any partiality and as an embodiment of truthfulness. 
  • To him Adharma was anything that did not hold true, was not just or fair and was opposed to the teachings of the Vedas. 
  • He believed in reverence of human life irrespective of anything and condoned the practice of Ahimsa or non-violence. He advised people to direct their energy towards betterment of mankind as a whole and not waste away in unnecessary rituals. 
  • He revoked the practice of idol worship and considered them a contamination introduced by the priests. 
  • He was against other social evils like superstitions and caste segregation. 
  • He advocated the concept of Swarajya, meaning a country free of foreign influence, resplendent in the glory of fair and just participants.

Arya Samaj

  • When: On 7 April 1875 at Bombay. 
  • What: A Hindu reforms movement, meaning "society of the nobles". 
  • Objective: To move the Hindu religion away from fictitious beliefs. 
  • Moto of Samaj: 'Krinvan to Vishvam Aryam" meaning "Make this world noble". 

Views of Arya Samaj:

  • God is the efficient cause of all true knowledge.
  • God is existent, intelligent, blissful, formless, omniscient, just, merciful, unborn, endless, unchangeable, beginning-less, unequalled, the support of all, the master of all, omnipresent, immanent, un-aging, immortal, fearless, eternal and holy, and the maker of all. He alone is worthy of being worshiped.
  • The Vedas are the scriptures of all true knowledge. 
  • One should always accept truth and renounce untruth.
  • Every action should be based on Dharma.
  • Promote the physical, spiritual and social good of everyone.
  • Conduct should be guided by love, righteousness and justice.
  • We should dispel Avidya (ignorance) and promote Vidya (knowledge).
  • Condemn ritualistic practices like idol worship, pilgrimage and bathing in holy rivers, animal sacrifice, offering in temples, sponsoring priesthood etc.

Important contributions of Samaj:

  • Working to promote widow remarriage and women education. 
  • Launched programs to support widow remarriage in the 1880s. 
  • Maharishi Dayanand also underlined the importance of educating the girl child and opposed child marriage.

Shuddhi Movement

  • By: Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati
  • Meaning: Purification
  • Objective: to bring back the individuals to Hinduism who were either voluntarily or involuntarily converted to other religions like Islam or Christianity. 

Educational Reforms

  • Maharishi Dayanand set up a number of Gurukuls to teach his followers the knowledge of the Vedas and for them to spread the knowledge further. 
  • His disciples established the Dayanand Anglo Vedic College Trust and Management Society, after his death in 1883. 
  • The first DAV High School was established at Lahore on June 1, 1886 with Lala Hans Raj as its headmaster.

Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council

Context: Amidst sub-zero temperatures, people are protesting to bring attention to Ladakh's susceptibility to climate change and its connection to the Sixth Schedule rights. With the looming threat of climate change, the ongoing demonstrations aimed at preserving Ladakh's identity under the Sixth Schedule take on even greater significance and urgency.

More on the news:

The Ladakh region is highly vulnerable to climate change, with retreating glaciers and villages forced to relocate due to lack of water.

People in Ladakh has been protesting in freezing temperatures to highlight this vulnerability and advocate for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which empowers autonomous councils to administer rights over land, forest, sanitation, and employment to safeguard cultural and indigenous identities. 

About Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council:

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act 1995 was enacted in response to the demands of the Ladakhi people who sought to create a separate Indian Union Territory due to their distinct religious and cultural identity, which differed from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir.

The creation of the Autonomous Hill Councils in Ladakh represented an important step towards recognizing the unique identity and aspirations of the region's people.

The council provided a platform for participatory democracy, enabling the people to take charge of their own development and governance while also ensuring that their distinctive cultural and religious identity is preserved.

Composition of council:

The total number of seats, in the Council to be filled by persons chosen by direct election on the basis of adult suffrage from territorial constituencies shall be twenty-six.

The Governor may nominate not more than four persons from amongst the principal religious minorities and women in the district to be members of the Council.

The members of the Council shall at its first meeting after a general election elect from amongst the elected members one member to be the Chairman.

The Executive council:

There shall be an Executive Council consisting of – (a) the Chairman who shall be the Chief Executive Councillor; and (b) four members to be nominated by the Chief Executive Councillor from amongst the members of the Council: Provided that at least one member shall be nominated from amongst the principal religious minorities in the district. The Executive Council shall be collectively responsible to the Council.

Powers and Functions of Council:

Subject to the provisions of 1995 Act the Council shall have executive powers in the district in relation to:

  1. Allotment, use and occupation of land vested in the Council by the Government under this Act.
  2. Formulation of development programme for the district in respect of District Component Schemes as notified by the Government and Centrally Sponsored Schemes and indicate priorities for various schemes and consider issues relating to the speedy development and economic upliftment of the district.
  3. Laying down guidelines for implementation of schemes at gross root level and Promotion of co-operative institutions.
  4. Special measures for employment generation and the alleviation of poverty and Management of undemarcated forests.
  5. Supervision and constitution of notified area committees and Formulation of periodical and annual plans for the district.
  6. Promotion of languages and culture of the area, Tourism, Vocational training, Education, Fisheries.
  7. Public health and sanitation, hospitals and dispensaries and Construction and maintenance of roads except highways.
  8. Preservation, protection and improvement of livestock and prevention of animal diseases.
  9. To collect within the district such taxes payable under any law as may be prescribed by the Government and credit the same to the Consolidated Fund.

What is the Sixth Schedule?

The Sixth Schedule, outlined in Article 244, allows for the establishment of self-governing administrative entities known as Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) within a state.

These councils possess some legislative, judicial, and administrative powers and can operate autonomously in certain areas. ADCs consist of up to 30 members who serve a five-year term and have the authority to create laws, regulations, and policies concerning various matters, such as land, forest, water, agriculture, village councils, health, sanitation, policing at the village and town level, inheritance, marriage and divorce, social customs, and mining.

The Sixth Schedule is applicable to the north-eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram (with three councils each), and Tripura (with one council).

Why Ladakh is demanding sixth schedule?

The creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh, which had initially been met with enthusiasm in the Buddhist-dominated region, has soured due to the absence of a legislative assembly and concerns over changes in the domicile policy in Jammu and Kashmir. While there are two Hill councils in Leh and Kargil, their powers are limited and the administration of the region is completely in the hands of bureaucrats. Due to the limited powers conferred on the councils, there is growing demand for inclusion into the sixth schedule. Ladakh's inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, which would enable the preservation of its distinct culture and the restriction of land acquisition by outsiders, has been recommended by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

Government’s response to Ladakh’s demand for sixth schedule:

Home Ministry official has stated that the Constitution only permits the Sixth Schedule for the Northeast, and the Fifth Schedule applies to tribal areas in the rest of the country. The government has the option to amend the Constitution to allow for Ladakh's inclusion.

Benefits of inclusion into sixth schedule:

  1. The district and regional councils have jurisdiction over specific areas and can create laws regarding topics such as land, forests, canal water, village administration, inheritance of property, marriage and divorce, social customs, and shifting cultivation. 
  2. Within their territories, the district and regional councils can establish village councils or courts to adjudicate disputes between tribes and hear appeals. 
  3. The district council can manage primary schools, dispensaries, markets, ferries, fisheries, and roads within its district. It can also regulate money lending and trading by non-tribals. 
  4. The district and regional councils have the authority to collect land revenue and impose specified taxes. 
  5. Acts of Parliament or state legislature do not apply to autonomous districts and regions, or they may apply with modifications and exceptions. 
  6. The Governor has the power to appoint a commission to investigate matters related to the administration of autonomous districts or regions. He can also dissolve a district or regional council based on the commission's recommendation.

Way Forward:

It is essential to engage in constructive dialogue with people of Ladakh and take into account the interests and aspirations of all stakeholders, while also ensuring the region's sustainable and equitable development.

NSA Invoked Against Amritpal and Company

National Security Act (NSA), 1980 which is a preventive detention law as per Article 22(3) of the Indian Constitution has been invoked against Amritpal Singh and his associates for preaching radical anti-India ideals.

Constitutional Protection on Arrests and Exceptions – Article 22

  • Article 22(1) states that every person who is arrested shall be informed about the grounds of arrest and shall not be denied the right to consult, and to be defended by, a legal practitioner of his choice.
  • Article 22(2) states that Every person who is arrested and detained in custody shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within a period of twenty-four hours of such arrest. 
  • Article 22(3) states that the above mentioned provisions provided under Article 22(1) and Article 22(2) shall not be available to any person:
  1. who for the time being is an enemy alien or 
  2. who is arrested or detained under any law providing for preventive detention. 
  • Thus, police can arrest such persons under preventive detention laws such as National Security Act without formal charge and need not present the accused before the magistrate within 24 hours. 
  • Article 22(4) further states that - No law providing for preventive detention shall authorise the detention of a person for a longer period than three months unless— An Advisory Board (constituted under the Preventive Detention Law) suggests otherwise.   
  • Article 22(5) states that grounds of arrest shall be disclosed to the person arrested under preventive detention law and also provide the person the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order.   
  • Article 22(6) states that authority making arrest under preventive detention law can withhold disclosure of certain facts regarding grounds of arrest if the authority considers to be against public interest. 
  • Article 22(7) states that Parliament may by law prescribe the circumstances under which, and the class or classes of cases in which, a person may be detained for a period longer than three months under any law providing for preventive detention without obtaining the opinion of an Advisory Board. 
  • Parliament may also prescribe the maximum period for which any person may be detained under such preventive detention law.

Thus, Article 22 has provided elaborate details and contours for invoking preventive detention laws against persons and accordingly the Parliament has enacted the National Security Act, 1980. 

Grounds on which National Security Act can be invoked  

  • The Central or State Government can issue detaining order under Section 3 of NSA if is satisfied that: 
    • It is necessary to prevent any person from acting in any manner prejudicial to the defence of India, the relations of India with foreign powers, or the security of India
    • With respect to any foreigner, it is necessary to regulate his/her continued presence in India or with a view to making arrangements for his/her expulsion from India.
  • If according to the Central or State Government, it is necessary to prevent a person from acting in any manner prejudicial to the: 
    • security of the State
    • maintenance of Public order or
    • maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community
    • then central or state government can issue detention orders under NSA. 
  • The District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police can issue arrest warrant under NSA if they are satisfied that situation exists which may affect national security, public order or disrupt essential supplies.

Constitution of Advisory Board under NSA

  • The Central Government and each State Government shall, whenever necessary, constitute one or more Advisory Boards for the purposes of this Act. 
  • Each Advisory Board shall consist of three persons who are, or have been, or are qualified to be appointed as, Judges of a High Court, and such persons shall be appointed by the appropriate Government. 
  • Among the three members, one of them shall be appointed as the Chairman by the government. 

Procedure to be Adopted by the Advisory Board 

  • The Advisory Board shall consider the materials placed before it but can also ask for other information from the government which it thinks necessary. 
  • The Board shall hear the accused in person but without any legal representation. 
  • The Board shall submit its report to the appropriate government and in a separate part specify whether or not further detention is needed.
  • When there is a difference of opinion among the members, the opinion of the majority of such members shall be deemed to be the opinion of the Board.
  • The proceedings of the Advisory Board and its report, except that part of the report in which the opinion of the Advisory Board is specified, shall be confidential.  

 Maximum Period of Detention – NSA

  • The maximum period for which any person may be detained in pursuance of any detention order which has been confirmed shall be twelve months from the date of detention.
  • However, the central or state government may revoke or modify the detention order at any earlier time.  

Concerns – Application of Preventive Detention Laws like NSA

  • Under preventive detention laws, there is no need to inform the accused immediately of grounds of arrest. 
  • The authorities may withhold disclosure of grounds of arrests
  • Arrested person need not be produced before Court within 24 hours as per normal norms. 
  • For cases referred to  Advisory Boards under NSA
    • there is no public hearing involved and no guaranteed oral hearing for the person detained. 
    • The accused cannot be represented through a lawyer of their choice
  • Preventive Detention laws can be used to suppress freedom of expression of journalists, political opponents, RTI activists etc. especially voicing concerns against policies or legislations of the government. 
  • At times, preventive detention laws are used to cover normal crimes as this largely reduces the legal assistance of detainees.      

Way Forward 

If any person is arrested under NSA, then the only recourse available lies in filing writ petitions in High Court or Supreme Court for release of such person.

Thus, procedural fairness should be incorporated under NSA and other preventive detention laws because under the present system, the balance always tilts in favour of the government in such cases.

IPCC Synthesis report

Climate change is a threat to human wellbeing and planetary health and there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a report. 

The current report synthesises findings from three working groups. It also integrates evidence from three special reports during the sixth assessment cycle.

Key observations:

  • Human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850–1900 in 2011–2020. 
  • Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase.
  • Adaptation planning and implementation has progressed across all sectors and regions, with documented benefits and varying effectiveness. Despite progress, adaptation gaps exist, and will continue to grow at current rates of implementation
  • Global GHG emissions in 2030 implied by nationally determined contributions (NDCs) announced by October 2021 make it likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century and make it harder to limit warming below 2°C.
  • Climatic and non-climatic risks will increasingly interact, creating compound and cascading risks that are more complex and difficult to manage.
  • The report, brings in to sharp focus the losses and damages we are already experiencing and will continue into the future, hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard.

About the IPCC

  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. 
  • It was established by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide political leaders with periodic scientific assessments about climate change. 
  • The IPCC has 195 member states that are members of the UN or WMO.
  • The IPCC has three working groups:
    • Working Group I, which addresses with the physical science of climate change; 
    • Working Group II, which focuses on the impact, adaptation and vulnerability associated with climate change; and 
    • Working Group III, which deals with the mitigation of climate change. 
  • It also has a Task Force on Greenhouse Gas Inventories that develops methodologies for measuring emissions and removals.
  • IPCC assessments provide governments, at all levels, with scientific information they can use to develop climate policies. 
  • The UN panel does not itself undertake scientific assessments but only evaluates the state of scientific evidence on various aspects of climate change.

About the Sixth Assessment Cycle

The IPCC publishes comprehensive scientific assessments every six to seven years. The previous one, the Fifth Assessment Report, was completed in 2014 and provided the main scientific input to The Paris Agreement.

At its 41nd Session in February 2015, the IPCC decided to produce a Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).

ISRO’s LVM-3 to launch second fleet of 36 satellites

Context: In its second commercial launch, India’s heaviest launch vehicle LVM-3 will launch a fleet of 36 OneWeb satellites in the Low Earth Orbit, completing the first generation of the huge broadband constellation. 

OneWeb satellites:

  • OneWeb is a United Kingdom-based company, backed by the UK government and India’s Bharti, which plans to create a 588-satellite strong constellation to provide high-speed, low-latency global connectivity.
  • These satellites will be placed in 12 rings of 49 satellites each, with every satellite completing a full trip around the Earth in 109 minutes. The final launch by ISRO will enable the company to initiate global coverage.
    • This is the second OneWeb fleet that India is launching, with the first being carried out by the same vehicle in October 2022. 

Key Facts: 

  • In June 2020, the Indian government opened up the space sector to allow the participation of private firms in the entire gamut of space activities. As part of these reforms, the government set up:
    • New Space India Limited (NSIL) - the country's first public sector undertaking in the space sector.
    • Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) - the promoter and regulator of space activities in India by non-government and private entities.
  • India’s journey into the commercial heavy lift-off space was initiated after the launch of 36 OneWeb satellites in the Low Earth Orbit in October 2022. 
  • Despite being one of the major space-faring nations, India accounts for only about 2% of the commercial market. 
  • With the space sector opened up to private players in 2020, this is likely to increase, as more and more companies are developing their own small satellite launch capabilities. 
oH roOkfbyV9qxcCI7LXZv7puRcoW2897gg2XMowa8ZK1wG8UUpPnuN8E3iFKZ7AgCnSz9N8QIRuNyWSA6pI06lfQqNumXT0XUGYfQWLuG6oyfGbGSjHauEZMrmVS7jM YY4YgFqXAtYdDKfMeFosg

Launch Vehicle Mark-3:

  • The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) or Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk3) is a three-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
    • It has two solid strap-on motors, one liquid core stage and a high-thrust cryogenic upper stage.
  • Currently, the LVM3 rocket has the capacity to carry 4000 kg spacecraft launching capability to GTO (Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit) and 10000 tons to the Low Earth Orbit.
    • It is primarily designed to launch communication satellites.
    • It is also due to launch crewed missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (Gaganyaan).

A boost to the zoonoses theory

Undisclosed genetic data from a food market in Wuhan, China has been unearthed and is being used to support the zoonoses theory over the lab leak theory. These findings were presented to the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens, an expert body constituted by the WHO. 

Major Highlights:

  • Scientists discovered the data which consisted of genetic sequences posted by Chinese researchers in GISAID (a virology database).
  • A Chinese team had reportedly collected samples from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which showed that several samples from the market containing the virus also had human genetic material in them.
  • The main theoretical dualism that the world has contended with since the COVID-19 pandemic is the question of its origin — lab leak or zoonoses.
    • There is now a large body of peer-reviewed scientific research consistent with the zoonotic origin of this pandemic.
    • However, there is no credible, peer-reviewed research pointing to a lab leak. 
  • However, the critics of the animal transmission theory are demanding specifics and details on the zoonosis theory, while virologists say it would be impossible to get that level of data. 

Zoonotic diseases:

  • Zoonosis is an infectious disease that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans. 

Zoonotic pathogens may be bacterial, viral, parasitic, or unconventional agents and can spread to humans through direct contact or food, water or the environment.

E.g., Salmonellosis, West Nile virus, Anthrax, Rabies, Bird flu, Malaria etc.

Cereal solution

Context: The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has singled them out as the "best among grains." With rising demand for sustainable agriculture, India is looking to market millet as a global panacea.

Prime Minister of India has recently inaugurated a global conference on millets, Millets have been recognized by the government as a potential ally against climate change and malnutrition, and the United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. Promoting millets as a superior crop to rice and wheat ignores the economics of production and could have negative consequences for marginal farmers. 

Millets:

Millets, a group of small-grained cereal crops, are highly resilient to extreme weather conditions and can be grown with minimal chemical inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. Millets are a versatile and healthy grain alternative, as they are both gluten-free and non-allergenic. They are nutri-cereals which are highly nutritious and are known to have high nutrient content which includes protein, essential fatty acids, dietary fibre, B-Vitamins, minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. 

Significance & Benefits of Millets:

  1. Nutritionally rich: Millet grains are an excellent choice for meeting your nutritional needs due to their abundance of nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, dietary fibre, and good-quality fat. They also possess a variety of phytochemicals, known for their therapeutic properties, which can offer anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative benefits. 
  2. Health benefits: They contain high amounts of antioxidants which are known to effectively reduce both LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and total cholesterol levels while promoting healthy blood vessels, ultimately lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. Furthermore, millets are beneficial in managing health concerns such as obesity, diabetes, etc.
  3. Climate Resilient: Millets are an essential component of dry land agriculture, serving as hardy and resilient crops with minimal carbon and water footprint. These "miracle grains" or "crops of the future" possess the ability to endure high temperatures and grow in poor soil conditions, requiring minimal external inputs. 
  4. Ecologically Sustainable: Millet production is not dependent on the use of chemical fertilizers. These crops do not attract pests, and a majority of the millets are not affected by storage pests. 

Millets are categorized as Major or Minor Millets based on grain size.

Major Millets:

  1. Sorghum (Jowar)
  • Rich in potassium, phosphorous, calcium with sufficient amount of iron, zinc, and sodium.
  1. Pearl Millet (Bajra)
  • Contains considerably high proportion of proteins as well as lipids.
  • It is also rich in calcium and unsaturated fats.
  1. Finger Millet (Ragi)
  • Richest source of calcium & it has highest mineral content.
  • It has high antioxidant activity.

Minor Millets:

  1. Foxtail Millet (Kakum)
  • Rich in carbohydrates and has double quantity of protein content compared to rice.
  • It contains minerals such as copper and iron.
  1. Kodo Millet (Kodon)
  • It has high protein content, low fat, and very high fibre content.
  • It contains high amount of lecithin and is an excellent for strengthening the nervous system.
  1. Barnyard Millet (Sanwa)
  • It is the richest source of crude fibre and iron.
  1. Little Millet (Kutki/Shavan)
  • It is high in iron content.
  • It has high antioxidant properties.
  1. Proso Millet (Chenna/Barri)
  • It contains highest amount of protein.
  • It is cheaper source of manganese as compared to other conventional source like spices and nuts.

Pseudo Millets: 

Two prominent pseudo-millets are: 

  1. Amaranth (Ramdana/Rajgira)
  • High protein & fibre content
  • A rich dietary source of phytosterols, with cholesterol lowering properties.
  1. Buckwheat (Kuttu) Amaranth (Ramdana/Rajgira) 
  • It is rich in carbohydrates (mainly starch).
  • Contains Vitamin B1, C and E.

Efforts to promote Millets by India:

  1. India celebrated 2018 as “The National Year of Millets” to promote the production and consumption of millets in the country. 
  2. Recognizing the importance of millets, and creating a domestic and global demand along with providing nutritious food to the people, the Government of India, spearheaded the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution for declaring the year 2023 as International Year of Millets.
  3. The Government, under the Sub Mission on National Food Security Mission (NFSM) -Nutri-cereals, is creating awareness among farmers for Nutri Cereals (Millets) such as ragi, sorghum, bajra and small millets through demonstration and training.
  4. Indian Institute of Millets Research in Hyderabad will be promoted as centre of excellence for millets.
  5. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Agriculture Ministry participated in a trade show in Belgium (in January 2023) wherein a multi-stakeholder delegation showcased the diversity of Indian millets.

Status of Millets Production in India:

OspFu04uFLE9E205lmBcgDdITzz DZemtydMw9JqrASnUAEzyThvwYCYQZdVjjxGXjypykTi0luRVsbWwW5j6 T99YVkLgn8Cw epoiwSg4usEzC1qd5Em2XjXWMB9LsqiuFSoPkt3Kwcz8ab Qg
  1. India produces more than 170 lakh tonnes of millet, which is 80 per cent of Asia’s and 20 per cent of global production.
  2. India produces all the nine commonly known millets and is the largest producer and fifth-largest exporter of millets in the world.
  3. India recorded 27 per cent growth in millet production in 2021-22 as compared to millet production in the previous year was 15.92 MMT.
  4. Pearl millet (60%) followed by Sorghum (27%), and Finger millet (11%) are the major millets produced in India (as per the 4th Advance estimate 2021- 22).
  5. The major millets producing states in India are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
  6. India exported millets products worth of USD 34.32 million during 2021-22. In 2020- 21, India exported millets worth USD 26.97 million against USD 28.5 million in 2019-20.

The UN General Assembly's declaration of 2023 as 'The International Year of Millets' has paved the way for a global increase in the cultivation of millet. India, being the world's largest producer of millet, is taking comprehensive measures to capitalize on this opportunity.

However, the success of this movement depends on striking a balance between promoting the advantages of millets, supporting the livelihoods of all farmers, and ensuring food security for all.

ESMA to penalise but let EU banks deal with India CCPs

European Union's financial market regulator, European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has proposed derecognising 6 Indian counterparty clearing corporations (CCPs) from April 30, 2023. However, now ESMA has said that it will allow European banks to deal with Indian Central Counterparties (CCPs), even after its April 30 deadline, by imposing a penal capital charge.

Six Central Counterparties to be Derecognised by ESMA are:

  1. Clearing Corporation of India.
  2. Indian Clearing Corporation Limited
  3. NSE Clearing Limited.
  4. India International Clearing Corporation Limited
  5. Multi-Commodity Exchange Clearing Corporation Limited
  6. NSE IFSC Clearing Corporation.

Reasons for Derecognition

  • European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) which regulates the recognition of third country central counterparties by ESMA mandates that:
  • ESMA enter into agreement with regulators of other national jurisdictions and mandates conditions such as audits and counterparties in other countries. 
  • Regulators in India have not agreed to external audits and supervise by ESMA and want ESMA to have faith in Indian regulators.

Impact of Derecognition

  • As per the decisions these Third Country-CCPs will not be able to provide services to the clearing members and trading venues established in European Union.
  • Some of the Major Banks dealing in the domestic forex, forward, swap and equities and commodities markets include Societe Generale, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas (European Banks).
  • The de-recognition will impact these lenders as they will not be able to provide clearing and settlement facilities to their clients.
  • They will also have to set aside additional capital to trade in the domestic market, reports suggest. Of the total foreign portfolio investors (FPI) registered in India, close to 20 per cent are from Europe,
  • Banks would be able to continue doing business but would face increased capital costs as they would only be able to do bilateral trades and not go through the clearing houses.
  • Well India has earlier also faced such controversies wherein Europe has tried to tighten its standards across all types of markets from carbon credit, green hydrogen , which has led to improvements in Indian standards .

Central Counterparties (CCPs)

  • They are system providers who interpose between counterparties to contracts traded, becoming the buyer to every seller and the seller to every buyer. 
  • CCPs perform two main functions as the intermediary in a transaction - Clearing and Settlement – Guarantee the terms of trade.
  • Facilitates trading and works towards efficiency and stability in the financial markets. 
  • Reduces risk related to the counterparty and other risks like operational, settlement, market and legal risks.
  • Counterparty Clearing house or CCP is important in the trading world as it collects money from both the trading parties including the buyers and sellers which ensures that both parties will follow through the said agreement.
  • The money collected is enough to cover the potential losses in case any party fails to follow through the contract.
  • A CCP is authorised by RBI to operate in India under Payment & Settlement Act, 2007.
  • Clearing Corporation of India, Indian Clearing Corporation, NSE Clearing, Multi Commodity Exchange Clearing, India International Clearing Corporation and NSE IFSC Clearing Corporation. 

Clearing Corporation of India

  • Clearing Corporation of India has established in 2001 to provide guaranteed clearing and settlement functions for transactions in Money, G-Secs, Foreign Exchange and Derivative Markets. 
  • Clearing Corporation of India acts as central counterparty for all trades in G-Sec markets, Forex markets, 
  • Promoters: Commercial banks (SBI, IDBI, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda and HDFC Bank) have 66%, Financial Institutions etc. holding others. 

An Englishman in Jahangir’s Court

Context: The entrance of Thomas Roe in the Mughal Court is discussed by Nandini Das in her book ‘Courting India: England, Mughal India, and the Origins of English’. As the English ambassador to the court of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, Thomas Roe arrived in India in 1615.

In the Mughal Court: Sir Thomas Roe

  • Sir Thomas Roe was a merchant diplomat with the East India Company and England's first appointed ambassador to India.
  • In September 1615, he arrived at the port of Surat carrying a letter from King James I requesting a commercial deal with the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir. Roe's arrival revealed that his mission's dual goals were to enhance Britain's standing abroad and secure trade and privileges for the Company.
  • On August 17th, 1616, Jahangir presented Sir Thomas Roe with a "medal of gold as huge as sixpence" to symbolise his status as the emperor's client.
  • He was identified as belonging to the noble class in the Mughal Court.
  • Despite not being "a great general, a great organiser, or a great builder" like his predecessors, Thomas Roe wrote in one of his memoirs that the emperor Jahangir who governed from 1605, was "a great lover of the arts, particularly painting and architecture." 
  • Roe's memoirs from his time spent in the Mughal court is a crucial source not only for the factual information it contains but also for the cultural presumptions it exposes. Historians like Michael Brown and Colin Mitchell have shown that Roe did not write with imperialist goals in mind. 
  • Roe's journal, on the other hand, reveals aspects of the society he belonged to, including attitudes on English supremacy and the inferiority of foreign strangers, which later in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries became fundamental elements of English Imperialist culture.

Progress of English in India: 

  • 1600: English East India Company was founded. 
  • 1609: Captain William Hawkins arrived 
  • 1613: Surat became the location of the company's first factory.
  • Sir Thomas Roe, King James I's envoy, came in 1615. The Emperor Jahangir and Prince Khurram both gave Farmans. Free commerce was made available to the Company with no inland tariffs.
  • 1616: At Masulipatnam, the First Factory in the South was founded.
  • 1633: EIC's first factory in Eastern India was founded in Hariharpur, Balasore (Odisha)
  • 1667: English were awarded farman by Emperor Aurangzeb to trade in Bengal.
  • In 1717, Emperor Farrukhsiyar issued the Golden Farman, popularly known as the Magna Carta. Many trade concessions were given.

Mughal Paintings:

  • During the Mughals, the emphasis of paintings moved from representing the god to exalting the emperor and illustrating his life. They concentrated on paintings depicting hunting scenes, historical events, and other courtly subjects.
  • Indian painters were influenced by the masters of miniature painting, Abdu's Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali, who had travelled to India with Humayun from Central Asia.
  • The fundamental goal of painting was to provide visuals for textual works. Paintings created by different painters used as illustrations for the Persian texts Akbar-Namah and the Mahabharata.
  • In Akbar's court, two well-known painters were Daswant and Basawan. Portuguese introduced European painting to Akbar's court.
  • Rembrandt, a famous Dutch painter, was influenced by Mughal miniatures.
  • While Shah Jahan carried on the tradition of painting, Aurangzeb's disregard for it resulted in the scattering of the painters to other regions, which in turn promoted painting in the provinces.

During Jahangir’s reign 

  • The Mughal paintings reached its pinnacle under the reign of Jahangir (1605–1627). By nature, he was a naturalist and favoured depictions of flora and wildlife, such as birds, animals, trees, and flowers. 
  • Portrait painting and animal paintings had advanced under Jahangir's reign. He placed a strong emphasis on reviving naturalism in portraiture.
  • Decorated margins surrounding the paintings that were occasionally as elaborate as the paintings themselves became one of the distinctive themes that emerged during this time.
  • Ustad Mansoor, who was a master in rendering the features of even the most complex faces, was one of the most well-known artists of his day.

During his rule, illustrations for the animal fable Ayar-i-Danish (Touchstone of Wisdom) were produced.

Supreme Court directs govt. to clear  ₹28,000crore OROP arrears by February next year

Context:

  • The Supreme Court on March 20 gave the government leeway to pay in installments ₹28,000 crore in arrears due to veterans under the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.
  • The staggered payment of OROP arrears would be made to various categories of eligible pensioners, totaling 21 lakh persons, from April 2023 till February 2024.
  • The entirety of the arrears was supposed to be paid by March 2023, according to an earlier deadline given by the court.

What is One rank, one pension? 

  • OROP means that any two military personnel retiring at the same rank, with the same years of service, must get an equal pension.
  • While this might appear almost obvious, there are several reasons why two military personnel who may have retired at the same rank with the same years of service, may get different pensions.
  • Military personnel across the three services fall under two categories:
    • The officers and the other ranks. 
    • The other ranks, which are soldiers, usually retire at age 35. Unlike government employees who retire close to 60, soldiers can thus miss out on the benefits from subsequent pay commissions. And since pensions are based on the last drawn salary, pensions, too are impacted adversely.
    • Similarly, the age when officers in the military retire depends upon their ranks. The lower the rank, the earlier they superannuate. But the problem is not just that.
  • Benefits of Pay commissions not reaching Servicemen: 
    • The benefits of the successive pay commissions were not passed to servicemen who had retired earlier. 
    • Pensions differed for those who had retired at the same rank, with the same years of service, but years apart.

Why is there an issue with OROP arrears?

  • After the government’s December 2022 decision — further reiterated by a government order issued in January this year — a group of ex-servicemen moved the apex court seeking that the arrears be paid in a single instalment instead of four instalments.
  • The January order stated that the OROP arrears would be paid in four half-yearly installments.
  • The ex-servicemen in its plea said the Centre, by issuing this order, subverted the apex court’s March 2022 order, in which it had said that arrears payable to all eligible pensioners of the armed forces shall be computed and paid over accordingly within a period of three months.

What are the Centre’s issues with clearing OROP arrears in one go?

  • As per officials in the government, the cabinet note, which was approved by the union cabinet last year, had mentioned that installments be cleared in four installments, barring exceptions.  
  • While the government did make an appropriation of 28,138 crores in the budget for 2023-24 for payment of OROP arrears, officials explained this does not mean that this entire budget is available to the government for a lump sum payment.
  • They said for every installment paid, the Ministry of Finance will have to balance cash inflows and outflows — in the absence of which the government might need to go for additional borrowings to fill the deficit. Currently, the government is not in favour of such a move.

Matua Maha Sabha

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways visited the auspicious “Matua Dharma Maha Mela” at the Shreedham Thakurnagar, Thakurbari, in West Bengal. 

The reason behind the event:

  • Mela is being organised to celebrate the 212th Birth Anniversary of Shri Shri Harichand Thakur ji. 
  • Mela showcases the vibrant culture of Matua Community. It is organised by the All India Matua Mahasangha. 

Matua Mahasangha:

  • Matua Mahasangha is a religious reformation movement that originated, around 1860 AD, in modern-day Bangladesh, with a considerable number of adherents both in Bangladesh and in West Bengal of India. 
  • Matua is a sect of depressed class AVARNA Hindus who are Namasudras, a Scheduled Caste group.
  • The movement was launched as a reformation by the followers of Harichand Thakur.

Harichand Thakur:

  • He worked among the untouchable people of Bengal Presidency. He formed the Matua sect of Hindus. 
  • He belongs to a Namashudra (or avarna) peasant family from Bangladesh. 
  • After experiencing atma darshan or self-revelation, he began to preach his own religious realization which is only based on Bhakti. According to his doctrine, all traditional rituals, except devotion to God, faith in mankind, and love for living beings, are meaningless and distortions from the real aim of attaining God. 
  • He organized downtrodden peoples of his own community under the banner of his new religious doctrine (known as Matua religion) and established Matua Mahasangha. They started considering him as God (Param Brahma) Harichand and as an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu or Krishna. Thus, he became known as Sri Sri Harichand Thakur. 
  • His newly founded Matua religion is based on only three basic principles - Truth, Love, and Sanity. 

He gave twelve instructions to his followers.

These twelve instructions are: 

  1. Always speak the truth 
  2. Treat the woman as your mother-being; Respect the woman 
  3. Always respect your parents 
  4. Treat your neighbors and all earthly living beings with love, pity, and kindness 
  5. Never discriminate on racial grounds 
  6. Bring all the six passions of the mind under your control. These six passions of mind are - Lust, Anger, Greed, Infatuation, Pride, and Jealousy. 
  7. Remain liberal to all other religions and creeds 
  8. Become honest in mind and activities and avoid saintly dress to adorn yourself with 
  9. Perform your duties devotedly and utter the sacred Haribol and pray to God simultaneously 
  10. Build a temple of pure thoughts in your heart and soul and a temple of Shree Hariparameshwar at your dwelling place 
  11. Pray daily to God with devotion and sanctity 
  12. Sacrifice yourself to the cause of God.

A History of Poor Choice

Context: Ex-chairman of the National Monument Authority claims that the declaration of the monument of national importance should be based on more rational and logical parameters.

What is a Monuments of National Importance?

A "Monument of National Importance" is designated by the Archaeological Survey of India and includes the following:

  • The remains of an ancient monument
  • The site of an ancient monument
  • The land on which there are fences or protective covering structures for preserving the monument
  • Land by means of which people can freely access the monument

The largest number of such sites are in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 

National Monuments Authority (NMA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India has been setup as per provisions of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains or AMASR Act, 1958 (amended in 2010).

Functions of NMA:

  • Protection and preservation of monuments and sites through management of the prohibited and regulated area around the centrally protected monuments.
  • To consider grant of permissions to applicants for construction-related activity in the prohibited and regulated area.
  • To categorize all the protected monuments and protected areas declared as of National importance as per AMASR act 1958.
  • To balance the needs of individuals and growth and development on the one hand and the requirements of preservation and protection of these monuments on the other.
  • Make recommendations to the Central Government for grading and classifying protected monuments and protected areas.