1. Gigantic Scroll created under KALA KUMBH installed at Rajpath for Republic Day celebrations
Tags: National News
The gigantic and spectacular 750 m long scrolls created under the unique initiative ‘Kala Kumbh’ have now been installed at the Rajpath for the Republic Day 2022 celebrations.
- These have been diligently researched upon and painted enthusiastically by more than five hundred artists who participated in special workshops or ‘Kala Kumbh’ at two locations, Odisha and Chandigarh.
- At Odisha, the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi collaborated with Kalinga Institute of Technology and Silicon Institute of Technology in Bhubaneswar from 11th – 17th December and at Chandigarh the collaboration was done with Chitkara University from 25th Dec 2021 – 2nd January 2022.
- The magnificent scrolls have been painted by local artists drawn from different regions and largely portray the tales of valour of unsung heroes of the freedom struggle.
2. Amar Jawan Jyoti merged with National War Memorial Flame
Tags: National News
After burning for 50 years, the eternal flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate lawns will be merged with the National War Memorial Flame forever. The decision was taken after it was found that the upkeep of two flames is becoming increasingly difficult.
- The torch was merged with the National War Memorial's torch at a programme on 21st January, 2022 days ahead of Republic Day.
- The ceremony was presided over by the Integrated Defence Staff chief, Air Marshal Balabhadra Radha Krishna.
National War Memorial
The National War Memorial was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2019.
- All military ceremonial events that took place at the India Gate were shifted there after the inauguration.
- The National War Memorial also has the names of all the Indian defence personnel who have lost their lives in different operations from the 1947-48 war with Pakistan to the clash with Chinese troops at Galwan valley.
- The eternal flame is positioned below the central 15.5 m obelisk.
- There are four concentric circles - the "Amar Chakra", "Veerta Chakra", "Tyag Chakra" and the "Rakshak Chakra", where the names of 25,942 soldiers are inscribed on granite tablets in golden letters.
- The memorial also includes six bronze murals depicting the famous battles fought by the Indian Army, Air Force and the Navy in a covered gallery in the Veerta Chakra.
India Gate
The India Gate was built by the British government in the memory of the soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in the First World War between 1914 and 1921. In 1972, the Amar Jawan Jyoti was lit in memory of the Indian soldiers who died in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
3. Supreme Court upholds validity of OBC Quota in NEET Admissions
Tags: National News
The Supreme Court in a judgement delivered on 20 January 2022, upheld the constitutional validity of providing a 27 % quota to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the National Eligibility Cum Entrance (NEET) All India Quota (AIQ) seats for Undergraduates and Postgraduates medical courses noting that “high score are not the sole criteria for merit “ .
- It upheld its January 7 order allowing reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the NEET undergraduate and postgraduate admissions for 2021-22.
- The Supreme Court gave its judgement on a petition filed by doctors in August 2021 challenging reservation for OBC and EWS by the central government in the All India Quota (AIQ) seats in state government medical institutions.
Main points of SC Judgement
- The court also pronounced that there will be no stay on the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) criteria for admission to NEET-PG and the existing criteria (Rs 8 lakh gross annual income cut-off) will apply to the current admission year.
- The Supreme court held that providing reservations to AIQ is a policy decision that would not be subject to judicial review. There was no need for the Central government to seek prior consent of the Court before introducing the OBC quota.
- The court also held that the State government has power to provide reservation under article 15 (4) and (5) of the constitution and was not an exception to article 15(1) which provides that “ State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion ,race,caste,sex,place of birth or any of them” .
- The court held that the power of the State government to craft reservation policy for the OBC amplified the principle of “ Substantive Equality “ as manifested in article 15(1) of the constitution .
The Supreme Court decision on the issue of providing a 10% quota to the EWS category will be finally heard in the third week of March 2022.
Also see December 1 2021 and 10 January 2022 post
4. NTPC top Biomass user in India
Tags: National News
According to the Union Power Ministry , National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has emerged as a leader in biomass users having used approx. 58,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) of biomass for the production of power in its thermal power plant.
- According to the Union Power ministry , approximately 59,000 metric tonnes (MT) of biomass has been co-fired in thermal power plants in the country.
- The Ministry of Power's policy on “Biomass Utilization for Power Generation through Co-firing in Coal based Power Plants” issued in October 2021 mandates all thermal power plants in the country to use 5 to 10% biomass along with coal for power production.
SAMARTH
Sustainable Agrarian Mission on use of Agro Residue in Thermal Power
Plants (SAMARTH ) was launched by the Government of India in 2021 .
Under SAMARTH the Union Ministry of power launched the National Mission on Use of Biomass in coal based thermal Power Plants.
AIM:-
- It was launched by the Government of India to reduce stubble burning and to reduce carbon footprint of Thermal Power Plants while increasing the income of farmers.
- The farmers are encouraged to sell their crop residues,stubble to the power plants and earn extra income instead of burning in the field which increases pollution.
- Thermal power plants are encouraged to use crop residue along with coal for production of power. It will reduce the use of coal for power generation and consequently lesser amounts of carbon will be produced.
Biomass:-
Biomass is plant or animal matter which is used for production of power or heat . For example , woods, cow dung , crops residue etc.
5. HAL Signs Contract For Helicopter Export to Mauritius
Tags: National News
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with the Mauritius government, to export one advanced light helicopter (ALH Mk-III) for the country’s police force.
- The contract was signed by B.K. Tripathy, General Manager, Helicopter Division-HAL and O.K. Dabidin, Secretary of Home Affairs, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of Mauritius, recently at HAL’s Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur.
- ALH Mk-III is a multi-role, multi-mission versatile helicopter in the 5.5-tonne category.
- The Mauritius government already operates HAL-built ALH and Do-228 aircraft.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bengaluru, India.
- Chairman and Managing Director: R Madhavan
6. The launch ceremony of 'Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ke Ore'
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20th January launched “Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ke Ore”.
- The program unveiled yearlong initiatives dedicated to Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by Brahma Kumaris, which includes more than 30 campaigns and over 15,000 events and programs.
- The event is being held on the occasion of the 53rd Ascension Anniversary of Pitashree Prajapita Brahma, the founding father of Brahma Kumaris.
Brahma Kumaris is a worldwide spiritual movement dedicated to personal transformation and world renewal.
- Founded in India in 1937.
7. Cabinet approves infusion of Rs.1,500 crore in IREDA
Tags: National News
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, approved the equity infusion of Rs.1500 crore in the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA).
- This equity infusion will help in employment generation of approximately 10200 jobs-year and CO2 equivalent emission reduction of approximately 7.49 Million Tonnes CO2/year.
The additional equity infusion of 1500 Crore will enable IREDA
- To provide additional Renewable Energy (RE) financing, thus contributing better to the Government of India targets for RE.
- To facilitate the debt requirement of RE of additional capacity of approximately 3500-4000 MW
IREDA,
It is a Mini Ratna (Category-1) company under the administrative control of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE) was set up in 1987 to work as a specialized non-banking finance agency for the Renewable Energy (RE) sector.
IREDA with more than 34 years of techno-commercial expertise, plays a catalytic role in the RE project financing which gives confidence to the FIs/banks to lend in the sector.
For more details on Mini Ratna see the post on 15th January 2022.
8. National Commission for Safai Karamcharis gets 3 years extension
Tags: National News
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the extension of the tenure of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) for three years beyond 31.3.2022.
- The total cost of the extension for three years would be approximately Rs.43.68 crore
- The NCSK was first established in the year 1993 as per the provisions of the NCSK Act 1993
- The NCSK Act ceased to have effect from 29.2.2004. After that, the tenure of the NCSK has been extended as a non-statutory body from time to time through resolutions
- The NCSK has been giving its recommendations to the Government regarding specific programmes for the welfare of Safai Karamcharis, study and evaluate the existing welfare programmes for Safai Karamcharis, investigate cases of specific grievances, etc.
- Also as per the provisions of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the NCSK has been assigned the work to monitor the implementation of the Act, tender advice for its effective implementation to the Centre and State Governments and enquire into complaints regarding contravention/non-implementation of the provisions of the Act.
- Current Chairperson of NCSK: MR. M. Venkatesh.
9. Saudi-led coalition launches deadly air raids in Yemen’s Sanaa
Tags: International News
The Saudi-led coalition carried out air raids in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on 18 January 2022, killing more than 12 people. This attack comes after the Houthi rebels launched a drone and missile attack on a United Arab Emirates oil facility on 17 January killing three people. Two Indians and a Pakistani were killed in the Houthi Attack.
- Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in Yemen’s war in 2015 to restore the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled after Houthi rebels took over the capital and parts of northern Yemen in late 2014.
- The Houthi rebels are backed by Iran.
Capital of Yemen: Sanna
President: Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi
For more information click here.
10. Central Government released operational guidelines for PM-MITRA
Tags: National News
The Union Ministry of Textiles has released operational guidelines for PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) parks scheme.
- As per the scheme, the state government will transfer land to the Special Purpose Vehicle- a legal entity with 51% equity shareholding of the state and 49% of the centre.
As per the guidelines released by the textiles ministry, the sites for the parks will be selected based on five metrics-
- connectivity to the site (25% weightage)
- existing ecosystem for textiles (25% weightage)
- availability of utility services at the site (20% weightage)
- state industrial /textile policy
- environmental and social impact.
With a budget outlay of Rs 4,445 crore, the scheme includes administrative expenses of Rs 30 crore over a seven-year period up to 2027-28.
For incentivizing manufacturing units to get established early in PM MITRA Park, there is a Competitive Incentive Support (CIS) provision of Rs 300 crore per park.
The CIS will be fund-limited and will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The incentives will only be available to those manufacturing companies who are not availing benefits of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for the textile scheme.
Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana expressed interest to set up PM MITRA Parks.
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
A special purpose vehicle (SPV) is a legal entity created by a parent company but managed as a separate organization. It is designed to isolate the financial risk of certain assets or ventures of the parent company. Companies create SPVs to securitize assets, make it easier to transfer assets, spread the risk of assets or new ventures, or protect assets from risks associated with the parent company.
Its legal status as a separate company makes its obligations secure even if the parent company goes bankrupt.
