Central Vista Project
Central Vista Project Central Vista project seeks to build a new parliament and other central government offices in Lutyens’ zone in central Delhi. The Central government wants to redevelop the Central Vista, the 3-km long stretch from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. These will be built along with new residences for the Prime Minister and the Vice President near South and North Blocks, which will be repurposed as museums. There will be a new building for the Prime Minister’s Office. The new complex is likely to have a triangular shape. The plan is to be completed by 2022. Significance of Central Vista Project: The present building, an 85-year-old structure suffers from inadequacy of space to house members and their staff and is thought to suffer from structural issues and the building also needs to be protected because of its heritage. Central Vista is an essential ingredient of sovereignty and pride, and also where recreational spaces are available for enjoyment by the citizens. It is a major attraction for the tourists who visit the country. A draft master plan by a private firm contracted by the government has proposed a Parliament building next to the existing heritage structure, and office buildings all along Rajpath. These buildings will be built after demolishing existing buildings. According to the CPWD application for environmental clearance for the project, the construction of the new Parliament building is estimated to cost Rs. 922 crore. Challenges: Lack of transparency Lack of studies to ascertain the need for the project Impact on the environment Traffic Pollution. North and South Block or to be converted into museums. The Rashtrapati Bhawan area to the ridge is to be turned into biodiversity arboretum. It will showcase India’s biological diversity. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join Now
Disaster Management Act in India
Disaster Management Act in India
EOS-01 Satellite
EOS-01 Satellite It is an earth observation satellite. EOS-01 is nothing but another Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) that will work together with RISAT-2B and RISAT-2BR1 launched last year. This is the first launch by the Indian Space Research Organisation since the COVID-19-induced lockdown came into force in March This will be the 51st mission of ISRO’s workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. EOS-01 is intended for applications in agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle: India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the third generation launch vehicle. PSLV is the first launch vehicle which is equipped with liquid stages. PSLV’s first successful launch was in October 1994. PSLV was used for two of the most important missions. These are Chandrayaan-1 in 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft in 2013. Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark II and GSLV MkIII are other two launch vehicles Earth Observation Satellite: An Earth Observation Satellite or Earth Remote Sensing Satellite is a satellite used or designed for Earth Observance (EO) from orbit, including spy satellites and similar ones intended for non-military uses such as environmental monitoring, meteorology, cartography and others. The most common type are Earth imaging satellites, that take satellite images, analogous to aerial photographs; some EOS satellites may perform remote sensing without forming pictures, such as in GNSS radio occultation. The first occurrence of satellite remote sensing can be dated to the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, by the Soviet Union in 1957. Uses: Land and forest mapping and monitoring Mapping of resources like water or minerals or fishes Weather and climate observations, Soil assessment, Geospatial contour mapping Advantages of radar imaging over optical instruments: Radar imaging is unaffected by weather, cloud or fog, or the lack of sunlight. It can produce high-quality images in all conditions and at all times. New Space India Limited: One of the mandates of NSIL is to mass-produce and manufacture the SSLV and the more powerful PSLV in partnership with the private sector in India through technology transfers. Its aim is to use research and development carried out by ISRO over the years for commercial purposes through Indian industry partners. It differs from ISRO’s existing commercial arm Antrix Corporation: Antrix will handle ISRO’s commercial deals for satellites and launch vehicles with foreign customers. NSIL will deal with capacity building of local industry for space manufacturing. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Myopia Causes, Symptoms
Myopia Myopia or shortsightedness is turning out to be an epidemic across india, and indeed even more in Southeast Asia. At this rate, by 2050, 64 million children in urban India may have myopia The inability to see the distant objects clearly and distinctly is called short-sightedness. This defect arises when the image is formed infront of the retina. A short-sighted person can see near objects clearly. This may arise due to either excessive curvature of the cornea or elongation of the eyeball. This defect is corrected by wearing glasses with a concave lens. Myopia first occurs in school-age children. Because the eye continues to grow during childhood, it typically progresses until about age 20. However, myopia may also develop in adults due to visual stress or health conditions such as diabetes. Some people may experience blurred distance vision only at night. With “night myopia,” low light makes it difficult for the eyes to focus properly. Or the increased pupil size during dark conditions allows more peripheral, unfocused light rays to enter the eye. People who do an excessive amount of near-vision work may experience a false or “pseudo” myopia. Their blurred distance vision is caused by overuse of the eyes’ focusing mechanism. After long periods of near work, their eyes are unable to refocus to see clearly in the distance. Clear distance vision usually returns after resting the eyes. However, constant visual stress may lead to a permanent reduction in distance vision over time. Read AntiMicrobial Resistance Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
The Road to Zero Hunger by 2030
The Road to Zero Hunger by 2030 The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2012. The Zero Hunger vision reflects five elements from within the SDGs, which taken together, can end hunger, eliminate all forms of malnutrition, and build inclusive and sustainable food systems. Zero Hunger Food system: It is a framework that includes every aspect of feeding and nourishing people: from growing, harvesting and processing to packaging, transporting, marketing and consuming food. To be sustainable, a food system must provide enough nutritious food for all without compromising feeding future generations. India’s food system working during a pandemic: The Covid-19 containment measures have brought out the multi-dimensionality of India’s food challenges. Prevalent Malnutrition The threat to Food Security Government Initiatives: Public distribution system Agricultural growth Agricultural productivity Dealing with climate change The Integrated Child Development Services The mid-day meal programme Read UPSC 2021 Mains Complete Questions The World Food Programme: It is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, the largest one focused on hunger and food security, and the largest provider of school meals. This year’s Nobel Peace Prize to the World Food Programme (WFP) is a recognition of its role in combating hunger and malnutrition across the developing world. According to the WFP, 132 million more people could become malnourished as a consequence of the pandemic. Challenges: Threat of Climate Change Retreat of Multiculturalism Global hunger Malnutrition, Anemia Intensified food production systems Fragmentation of landholdings Way forward: Sustainable agriculture Curbing wastage Adopt innovative solutions The way we produce food must change Need For Global Cooperation Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
French Secularism
French Secularism Secularism is the principle of the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. France has been one of the oldest democracies in the world with its approach towards citizen rights and governance. But there are some features that need revisiting in order to strengthen its core values, which it can learn from India. The French model of secularism separates the state from religion. The state does not support religious activities but also not interfere in private religious practices. Issues with French secularism: The drawbacks of this model can be seen as, such states focus on intra-religious domination by the strict separation of state from church to realise among other things individual freedoms, issues of inter-religious (and therefore minority rights) equality are often neglected. This model leaves no scope for the idea of state-supported religious reforms. The recent Hijab and Burkini ban in France has created anxiety among minorities. In France, religion is a private matter, not a matter of state policy or law. This model interprets freedom and equality in an individualistic manner. Liberty is the liberty of an individual. Equality is equality between individuals. There is little scope for community-based rights or minority rights. In early 20th-century France—a fairly homogeneous, Christian nation. The French model of secularism was a straightforward attempt to protect the government from the sway of the Catholic Church. Laïcité is also criticized for increasing police powers that could endanger respect for civil liberties. Laïcité is unintelligible and even shocking to religious minorities, who view it as an injunction to abandon their religion. Features that France can take as learnings from India: The Indian model of Secularism not only upholds individual religious rights but also community religious rights. The fundamental rights specially protect the rights of religious minorities (Articles 25-30). Linguistic and religious rights to minorities Shunning state religion Recognition of diversity Sarva Dharma Sambhava Positive secularism Way forward: France can still take steps to introduce new measures in its constitution to protect its secular characteristics. France can take a leaf from the Indian secularism model and recognise multiculturalism. French society to ensure value-education that makes the younger generation understand and appreciate not only its own religious traditions but also those of the other religions in the country. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) refers to seven security forces in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Assam Rifles (AR) Border Security Force (BSF) Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) National Security Guard (NSG) Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Assam Rifles(AR): The Assam Rifles came into being in 1835, as a militia called the ‘Cachar Levy’, to primarily protect British Tea estates and their settlements against tribal raids. This Force significantly contributed in opening the region to administration and commerce and over time they came to be known as the “right arm of the civil and left arm of the military”. The Post-Independence role of the Assam Rifles continued to evolve ranging from conventional combat role during Sino-India War 1962, operating in foreign land as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka in 1987 (Op Pawan) to peacekeeping role in the North-Eastern areas of India. Border security force(BSF): The BSF, in its 54th years of existence, has emerged as an elite force of the country having excelled with distinction in the 1971 & Kargil war with Pakistan. BSF mission is “Any task, any time, anywhere”. The Officers and men have given blood and sweat to uphold its motto “Jeevan Paryant Kartavya”. BSF is “INDIA’S FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE”. BSF has been defending Sir Creek in the Arabian Sea and Sundarban delta in the Bay of Bengal with its state of art fleet of Water Crafts. BSF has an instrumental role in helping state administration in maintaining Law and Order and conduct of peaceful election.. Read Also Iron Dome aerial defence system Central Industrial Security Force (CISF): The CISF came into existence in 1969 with a modest beginning, having three battalions, to provide integrated security cover to the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) which, in those years, occupied the “commanding heights” of the economy. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF):It has become a premier multi-skilled security agency of the country, mandated to provide security to major critical infrastructure installations of the country in diverse areas. CISF is currently providing security cover to nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants, sensitive Government buildings and ever heritage monuments. Tthe CISF has provided Consultancy Services to more than 138 different organizations, including those in the private sector. After the Mumbai terrorist attack on November 2008, the mandate of the force has been broadened to provide direct security cover to private sector also. The CISF Act has been amended, heralding a new chapter in the glorious history of the Force. Among the important responsibilities recently entrusted to the CISF are the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, VIP Security, Disaster Management and establishment of a Formed Police Unit (FPU) of the UN at Haiti. The Central Reserve Police Force came into existence as Crown Representative’s Police on 27th July 1939. It became the Central Reserve Police Force on enactment of the CRPF Act on 28th December 1949. The mission of the Central Reserve Police Force is to enable the government to maintain Rule of Law, Public Order and Internal Security effectively and efficiently, to Preserve National Integrity and Promote Social Harmony and Development by upholding the supremacy of the Constitution. Broad duties being performed by the CRPF are: Crowd control Riot control Counter Militancy / Insurgency operations. Dealing with Left Wing Extremism Overall coordination of large scale security arrangement especially with regard to elections in disturbed areas. Fighting enemy in the event of War. Participating in UN peacekeeping Mission as per Govt. policy. Rescue and Relief operations at the time of Natural Calamities and disasters Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) ITBPF was raised on 24 Oct,1962. Presently, ITBP is deployed on border guarding duties from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 km of Indo-China Border and manning Border Outposts on altitudes ranging from 9000’ to 18700’ in the Western, Middle and Eastern sectors of the Indo-China Border. ITBPF is a specialized mountain force and most of the officers and men are professionally trained mountaineers and skiers. Being the first responder for natural disaster, ITBPF has been carrying out numerous rescue and relief operations across the country. National Security Guard (NSG): The National Security Guard (NSG) is a counter terrorism unit. It was raised in 1984, following Operation Blue Star and the assassination of Indira Gandhi, “for combating terrorist activities with a view to protect states against internal disturbances. NSG formally came into being in 1986 by an act of parliament. The basic philosophy of NSG is swift and speedy strike and immediate withdrawal from the theatre of action. National Security Guard has been given the specific role to handle all facets of terrorism in any part of the country as a Federal Contingency Force. It is a task-oriented Force and has two complementary elements in the form of the Special Action Group (SAG) comprising Army personnel and the Special Ranger Groups (SRG), comprising personnel drawn from the Central Armed Police Forces/State Police Forces. Read Also Rafale Aircraft Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): The Special Service Bureau (now Sashastra Seema Bal) was thus conceived in November 1962 and eventually created in March 1963 with the sole objective of achieving ‘Total security preparedness’ in the remote border areas for performing a ‘stay-behind’ role in the event of a war. SSB was started in North Assam, North Bengal, hill districts of Uttar Pradesh (now Uttarakhand), Himachal Pradesh, part of Punjab and Ladakh area of J&K. Later, the jurisdiction of SSB was extended to Manipur, Tripura and Jammu (1965), Meghalaya (1975), Sikkim (1976), Rajasthan (1985), South Bengal, Nagaland and Mizoram (1989). Its area of coverage included 15 states. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now
Conservation of foreign exchange and prevention of smuggling activities act
An Act to provide for preventive detention in certain cases for the purposes of conservation and augmentation of foreign exchange and prevention of smuggling activities and for matters connected therewith. Whereas violating of foreign exchange regulations and smuggling activities are having an increasingly deleterious effect on the national economy and thereby a serious adverse effect on the security of the State. And whereas having regard to the persons by whom and the manner in which such activities or violations are organized and carried on, and having regard to the fact that in certain areas which are highly vulnerable to smuggling, smuggling activities of a considerable magnitude are clandestinely organized and carried on, it is necessary for the effective prevention of such activities and violations to provide for detention of persons concerned in any manner therewith. COFEPOSA is not a punitive Act. It does not empower authority to punish a person without trial. It provides preventive detention of person, before engaging in smuggling activities. A person can be detained under provisions of the Act, on the basis of suspicion that he will be engaged in smuggling activities but the detention must be followed both substantively and procedurally by detaining authorities. Reddish vs. Government of Andhra Pradesh (2012) 2 SCC 389 it was held that preventive detention is not to punish a person for something he has done but preventing him from doing it. Sadhu Roy vs. State of West Bengal 1975(1) SCC 660; it was held that discharge or acquittal by a Criminal Court is not necessarily a bar to preventive detention on the same facts for security purposes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7C3ThU5Z58&t=4s Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. join now
Roshni Act
Roshni Act The Jammu and Kashmir government declared all land transfers that took place under the Jammu and Kashmir State Land (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, also known as the Roshni Act. Initially, 1990 was set as the cutoff for encroachment on state land. It was later revised to 2004 and then subsequently to 2007. The government’s target was to earn Rs25000 crore by transferring 20 lakh kanals of state land to existing occupants against payment at market rates Later amendment was made which gave ownership rights of agricultural land to farmers occupying it for free, charging them only Rs100 per kanal as documentation fee. Issues and allegations: Investigations into the land transfers subsequently found that land in Gulmarg had been given over to ineligible beneficiaries. However several government officials illegally possessed and vested ownership of state land to occupants who did not satisfy criteria under the Roshni Act. A report by the CAG estimated that against the targeted Rs 25,000 crore, only Rs 76 crore had been realized from the transfer of encroached land between 2007 and 2013, thus defeating the purpose of the legislation. The report blamed irregularities including an arbitrary reduction in prices fixed by a standing committee and said this was done to benefit politicians and affluent people. In November 2018, the High Court restrained all beneficiaries of the Roshni scheme from selling or carrying out any other transaction in respect of the land transferred to them. Read Socio Economic And Caste Census Conclusion: The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been plagued by war, separatism, and terrorist incidents for a long time, so good governance must be extended to Jammu and Kashmir, thereby reducing the trust deficit between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India, to increase the people-to-people contact. The SAC has ordered cancellation of all pending applications seeking vesting of ownership rights of state lands to their occupants. Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now
Pfizer vaccine
The US and Europe are in line to get the first doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine after a partnership between Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE delivered dazzling preliminary results in a large patient trial. Regulators on both sides of the Atlantic ocean are working to speed a review of the shot’s safety and effectiveness after the data showed it prevented more than 90% of infections BNT162b1 or BNT162b2 — have gone into human trials so far. Both are in Phase 1/2 human trials in the United States and Germany. BNT162b2 was associated with less systemic reactogenicity, particularly in older adults. This effectively means that BNT162b2 generates an even lower adverse reaction among the vulnerable population, making it the safer candidate of the two. The researchers announced that after an extensive review of preclinical and clinical data and in consultation with the US FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, they have chosen to advance their BNT162b2 vaccine candidate into the Phase 2/3 study, where 30,000 participants will be taking part. Read Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG) Enroll today with the best civils service academy and take your first step towards your Civils journey. Feel free to reach out to us for any inquiries, collaborations, or support. We’re here to help. Join now
