Prelims Nuggets

Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)

Context: Recently Government of India approves a plan to establish two lacks new multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) / dairy/fishery primary cooperative societies for covering all the remaining Panchayats/ villages in the country.

What are Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)?

It is a cooperative credit institution at the village/lowest level.

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  • PACS is an association of borrowers and non-borrowers residing in a particular locality.
  • The funds of the society are derived from the share capital and deposits of members and loans from a central cooperative bank.
  • PACS is the foundation of the cooperative credit structure.
  • The first PACS was established in 1904.
  • PACS is the final link between the borrower at the village level on one hand and the higher agencies like the central cooperative bank, state cooperative bank and reserve bank of India.

Who regulates PACS?

  • PACS are registered under the Co-operative Societies Act which means they are regulated by the State government (specifically administrative aspects) and also regulated by the RBI. 
  • NABARD is a nodal refinancing agency for PACS including other cooperative banks.
  • They are governed by the “Banking regulation Act-1949” and Banking Laws (Co-operative societies) Act 1965.

Objectives of PACS

  • To raise the capital to meet the demands of its members
  • To collect the deposits from its members.
  • They also supply agricultural inputs and other services (in the form of money or in-kind) to their members.
  • They can also provide a storage facility to produce its members.

Who can form PACS?

  • Gorp of ten or more people in a village or from many villages can form PACS
  • Membership fees are there to be a member of PACS but it is very low so that the poorest man can join it.
  • Members of the PACS have unlimited liability, which means each member assumes full responsibility for the society’s entire loss in the event of failure.
  • Management of the PACS is overseen by the elected body

What are the Capital Sources of PACS?

PACS derives its working capital from 

  • Their own funds (share capital, membership fee, and reserve funds), 
  • Deposits, 
  • Borrowing and 
  • Other sources

Significance of PACS

  • PACS accounts for 41% of all KCC loans provided by all entities in the country.
  • PACS is the main source of credit for rural marginal farmers because 95% of beneficiaries of PACS are small and marginal farmers,

Participants of Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies 

  • State Governments, 
  • the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), 
  • the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) 
  • the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) 

Approach and period of Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies 

  • The scheme will be implemented through the convergence of various existing schemes of the Government of India and by leveraging the ‘whole-of-Government’ approach in the next five years.

Other initiatives 

The Government of India has approved setting up of three national-level Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) one each for Organic, Seeds and Exports registered under MSCS Act, 2002 i.e. 

  • National Co-operative Export Society, 
  • National Co-operative Society for Organic Products and 
  • National Level Multi-State Seed Co-operative Society

Purpose of national-level Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS)

  • These cooperative societies are expected to support the fisheries in the areas of supply of seed and quality fish marketing with a focus on the integrated project for the development of Inland fisheries, fisherwomen cooperatives, branding & trade promotion and capacity building. 

The Integration of Cooperatives data with the Gati Shakti Portal

  • To utilise the infrastructure being developed by the Centre and State. 

Odisha’s modern capital swallows its ancient urban hub

Context: The nationally protected 2,700-year-old Sisupalgarh, a fort city on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, is being bulldozed by the land mafia, even as official notifications are ignored, and the State government and ASI point a lazy finger at each other. Odisha high court has already ordered to remove the encroachment in the vicinity of the fort.

About Sisupalgarh and its fort:

Ruins of the North West gate of Sisupalgarh
  • Location: Sisupalgarh or Sisupalagada is situated in Khurda District in Odisha on the banks of Mahanadi Delta.
  • Duration: 7th Century BC.
  • It was excavated in 1948 by Braj Basi Lal under Archaeological Survey of India orders.
  • Currently only, Shola Khamba, a constellation of 16 monolithic (now 13) pillars, and the western gateway has survived which proves the presence of ancient city and fort.
  • Stone used for the construction were laterite stones.
  • Excavations in the 1950s revealed the settlement was well planned, with a drainage system and roads crossing each other at 90-degree angles. 

About Kalinga and various Empires

  • Kalinga is known to be a powerful kingdom as early as the time of the Kurukshetra battle. Srutayudha, the king of the Kalinga joined the camp of the Kaurava in the battle and was killed in the battle by Bhimasena with his two heroic sons: Bhanumana and Ketumana. 
  • After the Mahabharata War a new Kshetriya dynasty ruled over Kalinga and it is known from the Buddhist work ‘Mahagovinda Suttanta’ that the glory and power of Kalinga was restored within a short period. 
  • According to the Puranas 32 Kshetriya kings ruled over Kalinga after the Mahabharata War up to the time of Mahapadmananda who ascended the throne of Magadha in 362 BC. 
  • Nanda rule: Mahapadmananda undertook irrigation projects to eradicate famine condition in Kalinga. The pre-Mauryan black polished potteries and punch-marked coins having four symbols found in plenty from Asurgarh in Kalahandi district and Sonapur in Bolangir district indicate the flourishing economic condition during the time of the Nanda rule. Last Nanda king was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya. 
  • Mauryan rule: Asoka, the son of Bindusara who invaded Kalinga in 261 B.C. and succeeded in occupying Kalinga (Massive Kalinga War). Seeing the massive loss of life, Ashoka converted to Buddhism. Kalinga became one of the administrative provisions in the empire of Magadha with headquarters of a Kumara (Viceroy) located at Tosali. It was also the headquarter of highest judiciary of Mauryan rule. Edicts were engraved on the Dhauli and Jaugada rocks to inculcate his administration and religious principles to the people.
  • Kharvela rule: In the early part of the 1st century BC Kalinga became independent under the Chedi Chief Mahameghavana. The third ruler of this dynasty was Kahravela who flourished during the second half of the 1st century B.C. The Hatigumpha inscription in Udayagiri near Bhubaneswar furnishes detailed accounts about the life and activities of Kharavela from his boyhood to his 13th regnal year. He repaired the fort at Sisupalgarh (Kalinganagari). Kharavela excavated a number of cave-dwellings in the Kumari hills for the Jain monks and bestowed endowments for them. Jainism greatly flourished in Kalinga under the sincere patronage of Kharavala. Inscriptions of Guntupalli, Velpuru in Andhra Pradesh and Velpuru inscription also talks about this Mahamegahavahana dynasty. 

Chinese Sky Lantern festival in Goa

Context - An event in Goa aimed at recreating “the traditional Chinese sky lantern festival” by releasing candle-lit paper lanterns into the sky has sparked outrage among environmentalists and wildlife conservationists because it was due to be held at a beach near a nesting site of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles.

Olive Ridley

  • The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
  • These turtles are carnivores and get their name from their olive coloured carapace.
  • They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
    • The olive ridley turtles turn up in millions for mass nesting along the Odisha coast every year namely at three river mouths: Dhamara, Devi and Rushikulya. 
    • Gahirmatha beach off Bay of Bengal coast in Kendrapara district is acclaimed as the world’s largest nesting ground of these turtles.
    • It extends from Dhamra River mouth in the north to Brahmani river mouth in the south. 
    • The wetland is represented by 3 Protected Areas, the Bhitarkanika National Park, the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
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  • The species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, Appendix 1 in CITES, and Schedule 1 in Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
  • They are extensively poached for their meat, shell and leather, and their eggs.
  • However, the most severe threat they face is the accidental killing through entanglement in trawl nets and gill nets due to uncontrolled fishing during their mating season around nesting beaches. In recent times, plastic pollution has also emerged as one of the greates threats to these creatures. 
  • To reduce accidental killing in India, the Odisha government has made it mandatory for trawls to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), a net specially designed with an exit cover which allows the turtles to escape while retaining the catch.

Brahmani – Baitarni Delta

The basin consisting of Brahmani and Baitarni extends over states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh having an area of 51,822 Sq.km. The basin is bounded by the Chhotanagpur Plateau on the north, by the ridge separating it from Mahanadi basin on the west and the south and by the Bay of Bengal on the east. The lower reaches of this basin near the deltaic area are subject to floods. Since Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani are interconnected near their delta, worst flood occur when there is simultaneous heavy rains in all the three catchments. Prolonged submergence and breaching of embankments are common occurrences during floods. Floods are also caused from cyclonic storms since the coastal areas of the basin are cyclone prone.

Bhitarkanika national park is situated at the mouth of Brahmani, Baitarni and Dhamra rivers which is famous for saltwater crocodiles. Dense mangrove forests are found here. There also lies Gahirmatha beach and Gahirmatha wildlife sanctuary which is world’s largest ground for Olive Ridley Turtles. 

Marine Turtles

Five species of sea turtles are known to inhabit Indian coastal waters and islands.

  1. Olive Ridley turtle 
  2. Green turtle
  3. Hawksbill turtle
  4. Loggerhead turtle
  5. Leatherback turtle

Except the Loggerhead, the remaining four species nest along the Indian coast.

Difference between Tortoise and Turtle

All tortoises are in fact turtles—that is, they belong to the order Testudines or Chelonia, reptiles having bodies encased in a bony shell—but not all turtles are tortoises.

TurtleTortoise
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It is aquatic and marine formThey are exclusively on land
Comparatively smaller in sizeLarger
Some turtles are fish eatersThey are herbivorous and feed entirely on vegetation
Their head is partially withdrawn into the shellIt can be completely withdrawn into the shell
Turtles have thinner, more water-dynamic shells.  Turtle shells are more streamlined to aid in swimming.Tortoises have more rounded and domed shells
Turtles will have more flipper like legs, or webbed feet to make it easier to cruise through the water.Tortoises have club-like forelegs and 'elephantine' hind legs. Because tortoise are often larger and heavier, their elephantine hind legs help them move around and carry the extra weight

Agricultural Market Information System

Context: 12th session of AMIS Rapid Response Forum met in Chandigarh, India on the margins of 2nd meeting of G20 Agriculture Deputies in 2023. 

About Agricultural Market Information System

  • AMIS is an inter-agency platform to enhance food market transparency and policy response for food security launched in 2011 by G20 Ministers of Agriculture following global food price hikes in 2007/08 and 2010.
  • By enhancing transparency and policy coordination in international commodity markets, AMIS has helped to prevent unexpected price hikes and strengthened global food security. 
  • It brings together principal trading countries of agricultural commodities, it assesses global food supplies (focusing on wheat, maize, rice & soybeans) and provides a platform for constructive dialogue.
  • Membership: Composed of G20 members plus Spain and 7 additional major exporting & importing countries of AMIS crops, representing a large share of global food markets.

Structure of AMIS: AMIS consists of three main bodies:

  • Global Food Market Information Group: Composed of technical representatives from AMIS participants to collect market & policy information.
  • Rapid Response Forum (RRF): Assembles policymakers to promote early discussion about critical market conditions and ways to address them. In the event of market instability, RRF of AMIS coordinates appropriate policy measures. 
  • Multiagency Secretariat: Currently, includes 11 international organisations and entities, produces short-term market outlooks, assessment and analyses, and supports all functions of the Information Group and the Rapid Response Forum. 

Outputs of AMIS

  • Market Monitor: Assessing global market situation and outlook for AMIS crops.
  • Indicator Portal: Featuring key measures to identify critical market conditions that might require policy action. 
  • Market Database: Providing latest forecasts on production, consumption, trade and stocks.
  • Policy Database: Compiling information on policies that might impact on global food markets.

FCRA regulation

Context: Recently the Supreme Court ordered 6,000 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to go back to the government for the satisfaction of their grievances over the non-renewal of their Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration. About 5,900 NGOs' FCRA registrations expired on December 31, 2021, either because the NGOs failed to apply for renewal before the deadline or because the MHA refused to renew them for suspected violations of the Act.

What is the FCRA? 

  • Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) was enacted in 1976 to regulate foreign donations, which ensures that they do not jeopardise national security
  • It was updated in 2010 to include a raft of new regulations governing foreign donations. 

Who needs to comply with FCRA?

All associations, groups, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who want to receive foreign donations must comply with the FCRA.

Major provisions of FCRA

  • Registration under the FCRA is required of all such NGOs. 
  • The registration is valid for five years at first, after which it can be renewed if all requirements are met. 
  • Foreign contributions for social, educational, religious, economic, and cultural reasons are permitted for registered organisations. 
  • Annual returns, similar to those filed with the Internal Revenue Service, are required to be filed.

New guidelines under FCRA

In 2015, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines requiring NGOs 

  • To certify that accepting foreign funding will not jeopardise India's sovereignty and integrity, have a negative influence on friendly relations with other countries, or undermine communal harmony.
  • It further stated that all such NGOs would be required to have accounts in either nationalised or private banks with core banking services in order to provide security agencies with real-time access.

Who is ineligible to receive foreign donations? 

  • Originally Foreign contributions are illegal for members of the legislature and political parties, as well as government officials, judges, and journalists. 
  • However, the MHA in 2017 allowed political parties to receive contributions from a foreign firm's Indian affiliate or a foreign company in which an Indian owns 50% or more shares.

What other options are there for obtaining foreign funding? 

  • The alternative option is to request prior authorisation to receive foreign contributions. It is given in exchange for receiving a specified amount from a specific donor in order to carry out certain activities or initiatives. 
  • However, statutes such as the Societies Registration Act of 1860, the Indian Trusts Act of 1882, or Section 25 of the Companies Act of 1956 should be used to register the association. A letter of commitment from the overseas donor is also necessary, outlining the amount and purpose.

What happens if a registration is cancelled or suspended? 

  • The MHA can temporarily revoke an association's FCRA registration after inspecting its books and obtaining any negative feedback about its operations. Until a decision is made, the association is unable to accept new donations or use more than 25% of the funds in the designated bank account without approval from the MHA.
  • The MHA has the authority to cancel an organisation's registration, after which it will be ineligible for registration or granting of 'prior authorization' for three years. 
  • When an audit uncovers problems in an NGO's finances, such as misappropriation of foreign cash, registrations are also revoked. 
  • According to the FCRA, no certificate cancellation order can be granted until the person or NGO in question has had a reasonable opportunity to be heard. An NGO's registration is cancelled after three years, and it is not eligible for re-registration.
  • The government can also suspend an NGO's registration for 180 days while an investigation is conducted, as well as freeze its funds. 
  • The government's instructions can be overturned in the High Court. 
  • The majority of those whose registrations have been cancelled have been suspected of financial issues or "political activities." 
  • Following an inquiry into Amnesty's financial practices by the Enforcement Directorate in 2018, the organisation was forced to close its operations in India in 2020. 

New India Literacy Program

About the New India Literacy Program

  • A scheme of the Ministry of Education that aims to promote literacy among non-literates in the age group of 15 and above across the country. It aims to cover 5 crore non-literates during the period from 2022-23 to 2026-27. 
  • Centrally Sponsored Scheme with contributions from both Centre and State governments. It will replace the SAKSHAR Bharat scheme for adult education. 

Components of the New India Literacy Program

  • Foundational Literacy and Numeracy 
  • Critical Life Skills: These will include financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health awareness, childcare and family welfare education. 
  • Vocational Skills Development: For increasing employment potential. 
  • Basic Education: Includes preparatory, middle and secondary stage equivalency. 
  • Continuing Education: Includes engaging holistic adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports and recreation and other topics of interest or use to local learners. 

Salient Features of the New India Literacy Program

  • Volunteerism: The scheme is mainly based on volunteerism for teaching and learning. Volunteers can also register through a mobile app for this purpose. Involvement of school students, pre-service students of Higher Education Institutions, school teachers, Anganwadi and ASHA workers, NYKS, NSS and NCC volunteers. To implement volunteerism through online mode. However, training, orientation, and workshops for volunteers, may be organized through face-to-face mode. 
  • Priority to saturation in literacy: The age cohort of 15- 35 will be saturated first followed by ages 35 and above. Priority is to be given to girls and women, SC/ST/OBC/Minorities, Persons with special needs/Nomadic/Construction workers etc. who can substantially and immediately benefit from adult education. 
  • School to be a unit for implementation of the scheme. Schools are to be used for conducting surveys of beneficiaries and voluntary teachers (VTs). 
  • Use of ICT and online implementation of the scheme through Online Teaching Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS) 
  • All Material and resources through digital modes – TV, Radio, Cell phone-based free/open-source apps, portals etc. 
  • Assessment tests to be conducted in schools by State/UTs and evaluation of learners by NIOS/SIOS. Assessment on demand through OTLAS and generation of e-certificates. 
  • Sample achievement survey 
  • Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States/UTs and district level to show achievement in the implementation of the scheme giving weight to both physical and financial progress through the UDISE portal. 
  • The phrase ‘Education for All’ will be used in place of ‘Adult Education’ by the Ministry of Education as ‘Adult Education’ does not appropriately capture all non-literates more than 15 years of age.
  • The teaching-learning material and resources have been made available on the DIKSHA platform of NCERT and can be accessed through mobile apps.  
  • Further, other modes like TV, Radio, Samajik Chetna Kendra etc. are also to be used for the dissemination of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.

Beneficiary identification method

  • The beneficiaries under the scheme are identified through a door-to-door survey on Mobile App by the surveyors in the States/UTs. 
  • The non-literate can also avail of the benefit of the scheme through direct registration from any place through the mobile app. 
  • All non-literate above 15 years of age can avail the benefits of the scheme.

PAHCHAN card to Handicraft artisans and Handloom Weavers

Context: Recently the Union Minister of State for Textiles, Smt. Darshana Jardosh in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today informed that the Ministry of Textiles has issued PAHCHAN cards to 30.53 lakhs handicrafts artisans and 30.90 lakhs handloom weavers across the country under the PAHCHAN initiative since its inception.

About PAHCHAN card

  • Pehchan’ cards scheme is a part of the initiative of the Union Textile Ministry to register and provide identity cards to handicraft artisans and link them to a national database. 
  • It is a newly upgraded ID card for artisans that will be linked with their Aadhaar numbers and bank accounts so that they can receive direct cash-transfer benefits.

Benefits of PAHCHAN card

  • All Insured Persons will be issued with two magnetic cards, one for Insured persons & the other for family members 
  • The central database will be created with demographic and biometric details of Insured persons and their families. 
  • Insured Persons and their family members can avail of treatment in any ESI Hospital or dispensary across India. 
  • Besides the ID card will enable the artisans to avail of easy loans at a four per cent interest rate and they get the benefit of life insurance and `1200 per year for their children studying between Class IX and Class XII. 
  • Biometric details (fingerprints) to verify and authenticate Insured Persons and their families through card swipes. 
  • Employers can submit their Return of Contribution online Employers can collect information on employees’ benefits availed by respective employees online. 
  • One-time registration. Employees will carry forward with the same set of cards every time they change employment to prevent duplication of enrolment can be avoided.

In city, an exhibition celebrating India’s monuments in Thanjavur style

Context: Seema Sethi, an artist from Delhi, decorates her canvases using a variety of mixed media, including gold foil, watercolour, and semiprecious stones. Deities are portrayed in the Thanjavur style, which is distinguished by use of vibrant, rich colours and shiny golden foil.

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Thanjavur/Tanjore paintings

  • Thanjavur painting is a traditional South Indian painting style that originated in the Tamil Nadu town of Thanjavur.
  • The Nayakas of Thanjavur, who were under the control of the Vijayanagara Rayas, encouraged art—primarily, classical dance and music—as well as literature, both in Telugu and Tamil, and painting of predominantly Hindu religious subjects in temples. The art form draws its immediate resources and inspiration from this time period, which dates back to around 1600 AD.
  • However, Thanjavur art as we know it today originated in the Thanjavur Maratha court (1676–1855). Under the support of the famous art patron Sarfoji II Maharaj, these works achieved their pinnacle.
  • The Saraswathi Mahal Library in Tanjore, which was established by Sarfoji II, contains some specimens of this artwork. 
  • According to Charles Gold, a British narrator, the Tanjore paintings were created by "Moochys or Painters of India. The Nayudu community of Madurai and the Raju group of Thanjavur and Tiruchi, also known as Jinigara or Chitragara, were the communities that produced the paintings in the Thanjavur style.
  • The Government of India recognised it as a Geographic Indication in 2007–2008.

Style and technique

  • The pieces were framed and intended to be hung on the walls of domestic puja rooms or bhajan halls. They were constructed on canvas glued on a wooden structure, marking a considerable departure from the pan-Indian tradition, which requires that paintings be modest.
  • The vibrant reds, rich greens, chalk white, turquoise blues, and generous use of gold (foil) and inset glass beads made up the majority of their stunning colour palette. The paintings occasionally included precious stones.
  • During Sarfoji II's reign, Thanjavur glass paintings that used Chinese reverse glass painting techniques became popular as a quicker and less expensive art.
  • Dark brown or red was typically utilised for outlining. The background was primarily red, though it may also be blue or green.

Influences

  • Paintings from Thanjavur exhibit influences from Deccani, Vijayanagara, Maratha, and possibly European or Company styles.
  • The paintings from Tirupati and Kalamkari may have had the most influence.
  • During the Anglo-Mysore Wars of 1767–1799, when a British garrison was stationed in Thanjavur, the direct European influence on Tanjore paintings began. 
  • The majority of artworks depict Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints, essentially acting as devotional icons. Jain, Sikh, Muslim, and other religious as well as secular subjects have also appeared in Tanjore paintings.

About Miniature Paintings

  • Miniature paintings are bright, individually created, small works of art. These paintings' complex brushwork, which contributes to their distinct individuality, is one of their best qualities. 
  • The colours utilised in the paintings come from a variety of organic materials, including fruits, indigo, precious stones, gold, and silver.
  • Miniature painting in India is credited to the Palas of Bengal as its forerunners, but it was under the Mughals that it attained its zenith. 

History of Miniature Paintings

  • When the Palas ruled over India's eastern region around 750 A.D., miniature paintings first appeared there. 
  • The religious teachings of the Buddha, which included his images, were inscribed on palm leaves, which is how these paintings came to be well-known.
  • Similar paintings were imported to western India by the Chalukya Dynasty kings around 960 A.D. Religious topics were frequently depicted in miniature artworks at this time.
  • The popularity of miniature paintings began to soar with the expansion of the Mughal Empire. Indian miniature paintings merged elements of the Persian style of painting during Akbar's reign. 
  • With the influence of European paintings at the Mughal court, these miniature paintings underwent further development.
  • The Rajput kings of Rajasthan continued to support miniature paintings and artists even after the Mughal Empire had collapsed. The miniature paintings of Rajasthan had unique characteristics and frequently portrayed the royal lifestyle and mythological tales of Lord Krishna and Radha, despite being influenced by the Mughal style of painting.

ABHA-based Scan and Share service

Context: The National Health Authority (NHA) under its Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) scheme is enabling digital interventions for bringing efficiency to the delivery of healthcare services. One such initiative is Scan and Share service. 

Scan and Share service

  • Scan and Share service enables instant registrations for patients at OPD (Out-patient Department) blocks of participating hospitals via direct sharing of their ABHA profile. 
  • The service works on a simple modality of QR-code based direct information sharing.
    • The participating hospitals display their unique QR codes at their patient registration counters.
    • The patients use their smartphones to scan the QR codes using the supported mobile Apps for the service (ABHA app, Aarogya Setu etc.)
    • The patient then creates their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) or logs in to their existing account. Then, the patients can directly share their ABHA profile with the hospital to complete their registration without having to fill the form physically.
  • This paperless registration results in instant token generation thereby helping the patients skip the long queue by simply using their ABHA.

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission

Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ANDM) aims to develop the necessary backbone to support integrated digital health infrastructure in India. However, the participation of citizens and healthcare facility is voluntary in ABDM. 

Components of ABDM:

  • ABHA Number: An individual/citizen/patient will be provided with a randomly generated 14-digit number known as ABHA for uniquely identifying a person in the digital health ecosystem, authenticating himself and linking his health records with consent across multiple systems and stakeholders.
  • Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR): Comprehensive registry of all healthcare professionals involved in healthcare services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
  • Health Facility Registry (HFR): Comprehensive registry of health facilities (Hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs, imaging centres, pharmacies etc.) across different systems of medicines including both public and private health facilities.
  • Unified Health Interface (UHI): An open protocol for various digital health services focusing on End User Applications and participating Health Service Provider applications such as appointment booking, teleconsultation, service discovery etc.

MoD signs three contracts worth ₹5,400 crore

Context: Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed three contracts worth ₹5,400 crores recently. All these projects are under Buy {Indian – IDMM (Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured)} category.

Major Highlights

  • Two contracts were signed with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) worth ₹2,400 crores for the procurement of:
    • Automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System ‘Project Akashteer’ for the Army
    • Sarang Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems for the Navy.
  • Another ₹2,963 crore contract was signed with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) for an advanced communication satellite, GSAT 7B, for the Army. 

Project Akashteer

  • ‘Project Akashteer’ worth ₹1,982 crores is an automated air defence control and reporting system that will allow the army’s air defence units to operate in an integrated manner.
  • It will enable monitoring of low-level airspace over the battle areas of the Indian Army and effectively control the ground-based air defence weapon systems.

Sarang Electronic Support Measure (ESM) systems

  • The second contract worth ₹412 crores with BEL is for Sarang Electronic Support Measure systems for Indian Navy helicopters. ‘Sarang’ is designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad under the programme, Samudrika.
  • It will generate employment of approximately two lakh man-days over a period of three years.

GSAT 7B

  • The five-tonne geostationary satellite will be developed indigenously by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • The satellite will considerably enhance the communication capability of the Indian Army by providing mission-critical beyond-line-of-sight communication to troops and formations as well as weapon and airborne platforms.
  • The Army is likely to get the satellite in 2026. Unlike the Indian Air Force and the Navy, the Army currently does not have a dedicated satellite.

Many parts and sub-assemblies and systems of the satellite will be sourced from indigenous manufacturers, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups. The project will generate employment of around 300,000 man-days over the next three-and-a-half years.

Saudi Arabia agrees to join SCO as a dialogue partner

Context: Saudi Arabia has agreed to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a “dialogue partner”, the latest indication of closer political ties with China.

This is also seen as the step in the direction where Saudi Arabia can later become a full time member of the organization.

The Saudi-Iran Bonhomie

  • By joining the SCO, Saudi Arabia's security relationship with China is currently blossoming. But this relationship is nothing new and stems back decades before. 
  • The ballistic missile sales from China to Saudi Arabia as far back as the 1980s, with reported sales in 1992, 2007 and 2014. In 2021, the kingdom imported sensitive missile technology from the Chinese military to manufacture its own ballistic missiles
  • Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude supplier, and China, the biggest energy consumer, met to discuss their ambitions for an initial agreement of $29.26 billion. 
  • The United States was Riyadh’s largest trading partner at $76 billion in 2012, but now China, India and Japan have surpassed the United States, with which trade was only $29 billion in 2021
  • Saudi Aramco signed two deals to build a major refining and petrochemical complex in China valued in the billions of dollars. 

It can be concluded that Saudi Arabia is seemingly looking to diversify its global partnerships in the same way that it has been diversifying its economy into non-oil sectors and reducing its dependence on one single source. 

Reasons behind blossoming ties

  • The US is distancing itself from the region as it is no longer dependent on energy imports from the region. It has itself emerged as a significant exporter of both oil and gas.
  • The relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia entered a fraught timeline since President Joe Biden came into office
  • Joe Biden announced the end of combat assistance to Riyadh as it led a military campaign in Yemen against the Iran-aligned Ansar Allah, or Houthi, movement.
  • With the Russia-Ukraine war and the energy prices soared over the conflict and ensuing Western sanctions against Moscow, Washington called on Riyadh to increase production, only for the Kingdom to join with Russia and other members of the extended Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) in cutting output.
  • America knows that its survival in the region is very costly, because it will remain under the strikes of the Axis of Resistance, which has grown and gained great influence in last decade, meaning that the American presence is no longer without cost, but rather the price will rise if US stays. 
  • Now reports have emerged that Saudi Arabia has begun talks to restore ties with Syria, which has been suspended from the Arab League since civil war broke out in 2011
  • Iran the long-time rival has joined SCO and has showed interest to join BRICS as well and this has prompted Saudi also, which has been aspiring for the same.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organization

It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation and was formed in 2001. It is a successor of Shanghai five.

Shanghai Five

Shanghai Five, a political association based on the Agreement on Confidence-Building in the Military Field in the Border Area and the Agreement on the Mutual

Reduction of Armed Forces Members: (SCO - UZBEKISTAN)

Members

NINE countries are currently SCO full members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan became full members in 2017 and IRAN in 2023.

SCO decided to admit India & Pakistan at the Ufa summit of 2015.

India participated for the first time as a full member at the recently held 18th Qingdao Summit of SCO in China that was held in 2018.

Working

  • The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body in the SCO.
  • The secretary general and executive director of RATS is appointed by HSC for 3 Year term.
  • The Heads of Government Council (HGC) meets once per year to discuss a strategy for multilateral cooperation and priority directions within the Organisation's framework.
  • Organisation has two permanent bodies — the Secretariat in Beijing (China) and the Regional Anti- Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.
  • SCO RATS: Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of SCO is a permanent body based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 
  • The objective of RATS is based upon the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism. RATS possess information on terrorist organisations and terrorists.

By polls to one Lok Sabha, 4 Assembly seats on May 10

Context: The Election Commission of India has announced by polls for one Lok Sabha seat and four Assembly constituencies, to be held on May 10, with results on May 13.

What is By poll or bye election?

  • In India, a by-election (also known as a by poll or bye-election) is an election held to fill a vacancy in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) or a state legislative assembly. 
  • These vacancies can occur due to various reasons such as the death, resignation or disqualification of a sitting member of parliament or the state assembly. 
  • By-elections are conducted by the Election Commission of India, which is an independent body responsible for organizing and overseeing elections at various levels of government in India. 
  • By-elections are usually held within six months of the vacancy occurring, although this can vary depending on the specific circumstances. 
  • Candidates from various political parties can contest the by-election, and the winner is elected to fill the vacant seat until the next general election. 
  • By-elections are important as they provide an opportunity for citizens to exercise their right to vote and elect a representative to fill a vacant seat in the legislative assembly or parliament. 
  • They also have the potential to impact the balance of power in parliament or the state assembly, as a single seat can sometimes make a significant difference in the overall composition of the house.

About Representation of the People Act, 1951

The provisions for the actual conduct of elections to the Houses of Parliament and to the House or Houses of the Legislature of each State, the qualifications and disqualifications for the membership of these Houses, the corrupt practices and other election offences, and the decision of election disputes were all left to be made in a subsequent measure. In order to provide for these provisions, the Representation of the People Act, 1951 was enacted. 

Broadly speaking, this Act contains provisions relating to the following electoral matters:

  1. Qualifications and disqualifications for membership of Parliament and State Legislatures. 
  2. Administrative machinery for the conduct of elections
  3. Registration of political parties 
  4. Conduct of elections 
  5. Corrupt practices and electoral offences
  6. Bye-elections and time limit for filling vacancies
  7. Barring the jurisdiction of civil courts