ART AND CULTURE                                                                           

1. National Mission on Cultural Mapping                                                                

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE                                                             

1. Appointment of Chief of Defence Staff                                                               

2. Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat                                                                              

3. Odisha plans Legislative Council                                                                       

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS                                                          

1. Ceasefire Violation by Pakistan                                                                          

ECONOMY                                                                                             

1. Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)                                              

2. Defence Export Policy                                                                                        

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY                                                        

1. Understanding space Internet                                                                          

SECURITY                                                                                           

1. Bilateral Maritime Exercise Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea)                             

2. 'Make In India' Initiative                                                                                    

3. India fares better than China in global bribery risk matrix                                

 

ART AND CULTURE

National Mission on Cultural Mapping

GS PAPER - 01 ART AND CULTURE - Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Context :

• The Culture Minister informed that the NMCM will compile data of artists, art forms & geo location with inputs from Central Ministries, State Governments & art/culture bodies.

National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM):

• The NMCM was set up by the Ministry of Culture in 2017.

• The NMCM is under the umbrella scheme of Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana.

• The mission aims at converting the vast and widespread cultural canvas of India into an objective cultural map, designing a mechanism to fulfill the aspirations of the whole artist community of the nation and preserving the rich cultural heritage of this country in the form of a cultural repository of artists and art forms.

• NMCM encompasses data mapping, demography building, formalising the processes and bringing all the cultural activities under one web-based umbrella for better results.

• The mission aims to provide support in effective utilisation of financial & intellectual resources, minimising wastage of time in talent scouting and providing an opportunity for developing cultural inventory including artistes and art forms.

• The mission also intends to identify platforms where Kala Grams, Craft Melas, etc. may be developed for the sharing of ideas, techniques, and resource pooling for planned development and promotion of cultural tourism.

• It will compile data of artists, art forms & geo location with inputs from Central Ministries, State Governments & art/culture bodies.

• Data from art & culture academies of the Ministry of Culture has been collected and will be entered into the database after due correction.

• The mission will also conduct talent hunt competitions from the Block to the National levels.

                                                                                                                                                                       Source :- PIB

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

Appointment of Chief of Defence Staff

GS PAPER - 02 POLITY - Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

Context :

• The Government has approved in principle the creation of a post of CDS.

  • An Implementation Committee was also approved and constituted to further determine and finalize the exact responsibilities, an enabling framework for this new post and all other issues involved to ensure smooth operationalization.

Chief of Defence Staff:

• The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is a post that will act as the single-point advisor to the Government of India.

• It will synergise long term planning, procurement, training and logistics of the three Services, and ensure better coordination between them.

• The creation of a CDS to act as a single point military adviser to the Prime Minister on strategic issues was one of the key recommendations of the Kargil review committee on higher military reforms after the 1999 conflict.

Significance :

• The creation of the CDS will eventually lead to the formation of tri-service theatre commands intended to create vertical integration of the three forces.

• This is expected to save money by avoiding duplication between the Services, at a time of shrinking capital expenditure within the defence budget.

• It will help India in Defense diplomacy.

                                                                                                                                                                    Source :- PIB

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat

GS PAPER - 02 POLITY - Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Context :

• Library grant to government schools to inculcate reading habit among the students.

More in the news :

• Under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, provisions have been made for library grant to government schools so as to inculcate reading habit among students of all ages and to strengthen school libraries, including purchase of books.

• The States/UTs have been advised to make guidelines for use of libraries in schools including number of periods, to be earmarked as library period in schools.

• To promote the habit of reading in students, States and UTs have been advised to set up Reader’s clubs with the help of the National Centre for Children’s Literature (NCCL) which is a wing of the National Book Trust (NBT).           

Samagra Shiksha Scheme: The Samagra Shiksha Scheme is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class 12. It has been prepared with the broader goal of improving school effectiveness measured in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning outcomes. It subsumes the three Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). The Scheme will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme through a single State Implementation Society (SIS) at the State/UT level.

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat scheme: The ‘Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat’ (PBBB) is a sub-programme of the erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) which is continued under the new integrated scheme Samagra Shiksha to ensure quality at the foundational years of schooling. The objectives of the programme are to promote early reading and writing with comprehension skills in children, and also basic numeracy skills. States/UTs are implementing PBBB in their respective States/UTs using multiple strategies and approaches. These include adoption of NCERT model of early reading, provision of supplementary reading material, development of State specific models for early Maths and early reading, collaboration with organizations like UNICEF, etc. The Central Government has taken various steps towards the implementation of the programme of PBBB, which inter-alia, include: Preparation of special bridge materials for States having a high tribal population Provisioning of free textbooks Development and procurement of supplementary reading material In-service teacher training Having dedicated teachers for foundational classes Maintaining the required Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) as prescribed under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

                                                                                                                                                                   Source :- PIB

Odisha plans Legislative Council

GS PAPER - 02 POLITY - Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Context :

• Osdisha  asked the Central government to bring a resolution in the Rajya Sabha for the establishment of a Legislative Council in Odisha.

  • Last year, the regional party had passed a resolution in the state legislature regarding the formation of the Vidhan Parishad.

  • However, the resolution is pending with the Central Government.

Legislative Council :

• India has a bicameral system of legislature. Just as Parliament has two Houses, the states can also have a Legislative Council in addition to the Legislative Assembly through Article 169 of the Constitution.

• Six States having a Legislative Council: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka.

  • Recently, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council has been abolished through the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which reduced the State of J&K to the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.

Article 169 - Abolition or creation of LC :

• The Parliament can abolish a legislative council (where it already exists) or create it (where it does not exist) by a simple majority, that is, a majority of the members of each House present and voting, if the legislative assembly of the concerned state, by a special majority, passes a resolution to that effect.

• Special majority implies
   

  • A majority of the total membership of the assembly and

  • A majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the assembly present and voting.

Composition :

• Under Article 171 of the Constitution, the Legislative Council of a state shall not have more than one-third of the total strength of the State Assembly, and not less than 40 members.

• Like the Rajya Sabha, the legislative council is a continuing chamber, that is, it is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution.

  • The tenure of a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) is six years, with one-third of the members retiring every two years.

How Member of Legislative Council will be elected ?      

•  One-third of the MLCs are elected by the state’s MLAs,

• Another 1/3rd by a special electorate comprising sitting members of local governments such as municipalities and district boards,

• 1/12th by an electorate of teachers and another 1/12th by registered graduates.

• The remaining members are appointed by the Governor for distinguished services in various fields namely, literature, science, art, cooperative movement and social service.

LC vis-à-vis Rajya Sabha :

• The legislative power of the Councils are limited. Unlike Rajya Sabha which has substantial powers to shape non-financial legislation, Legislative Councils lack a constitutional mandate to do so.

• Assemblies can override suggestions/amendments made to legislation by the Council.

• Again, unlike Rajya Sabha MPs, MLCs cannot vote in elections for the President and Vice President. The Vice President is the Rajya Sabha Chairperson while a member from the Council itself is chosen as the Council Chairperson.

                                                                                                                                                 Source :- Indian Express

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Ceasefire Violation by Pakistan

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - India and its neighborhood- relations.

Context :

• Pakistan has been resorting to Ceasefire Violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control.

  Line of Control (LoC) :

            

• Originally known as the Cease-fire Line, it was redesignated as the “Line of Control” following the Simla Agreement, which was signed on 3 July 1972.

• The part of Jammu that is under Indian control is known as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Pakistani-controlled part is divided into Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit–Baltistan. The northernmost point of the Line of Control is known as NJ9842.

• Another ceasefire line separates the Indian-controlled state of Jammu and Kashmir from the Chinese-controlled area known as Aksai Chin.

• The Line of Control divided Kashmir into two parts and closed the Jehlum valley route.

                                                                                                                                                                 Source :- PIB

ECONOMY

Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• The Plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is being hosted by India.

Kimberley Process:

• The Kimberley Process is a joint initiative involving Government, International Diamond Industry and Civil Society to stem the flow of Conflict Diamonds. 

  • “Conflict Diamonds” means rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments. 

  • It is also described in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

• The KP is a multilateral trade regime established in 2003 with the goal of preventing the flow of conflict diamonds. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

• The KP unites governments, civil society and the wider industry.

• The core of this regime is the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) under which States implement safeguards on shipments of rough diamonds and certify them as “conflict free”.

• India is a founding member of the KPCS.

• Under the terms of the KPCS participants must:

  • Satisfy ‘minimum requirements’ and establish national legislation, institutions and import/export controls.

  • Commit to transparent practices and to the exchange of critical statistical data.

  • Trade only with fellow members who also satisfy the fundamentals of the agreement.

  • Certify shipments as conflict-free and provide the supporting certification.

• The idea behind these terms is to ensure that there is no market for conflict diamonds.

• There are 54 member countries in the KP which includes the European Union (EU) counted as one member.

• The KP is also described in UNSC resolutions.

• In accordance with the KP Core document, the work of the Kimberley Process is carried out through its seven Working Groups and Committees, which discuss issues on regular basis through teleconferences and exchange of mails, and meet twice in a year for in-person meeting at Intersessional and Plenary meetings organized by the Chair.

• The KPCS works on the principle of consensus and all the decisions are taken in the plenary session or through written procedure unanimously by all members.

Diamond industry in India:

• Currently, India exports around USD 24 billion cut and polished diamonds.

• It is expected that India will reach an export target of USD 1 trillion in the coming years and the gem and jewellery sector, particularly cut and polished diamonds will contribute significantly to achieve this target.

• The importance of KPCS is immense to India as more than one million people are directly employed by the diamond industry.

• The Department of Commerce is the nodal Department and the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is designated as the KPCS Importing and Exporting Authority in India.

• GJEPC is responsible for issuing KP Certificates and is also the custodian of KP Certificates received in the country.

                                                                                                                                                                   Source :- PIB

Defence Export Policy

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - growth, development and employment.

Context :

• The government has taken various measures to enhance defence exports.

Measures Taken By the Government to Promote Defence Exports:

• Authorisation - permission :

  • A completely end-to-end online portal for receiving and processing authorisation permission has been developed.

  • The applications submitted on this portal are digitally signed and the authorisation issued is also digitally signed.

  • In repeat orders of same product to the same entity, consultation process has been done away with and permission is issued immediately.

  • For the repeat order of the same product to different entity, the consultation earlier done with all stakeholders is now limited only with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

•  In Intra-Company business (which is especially relevant for outsourcing of work by defence related parent company abroad to its subsidiary in India), the earlier requirement of getting End User Certificate (EUC) from the Government of importing country has been done away with and ‘Buying’ Company is authorized to issue the EUC.

• Export of the parts and components of small arms and body armour :

  • for civil use is now being permitted after prior consultation with the MEA.

• For export of items for exhibition purposes, the requirement of consultation with stakeholders has been done way with (except for select countries).

• Powers have been delegated to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Director General of Ordnance Factories (DGOF), and CMDs of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) for exploring export opportunities and participation in global tenders.

• The Department of Defence Production has become the single point of contact for exporters for export of parts and components of Small Arms & Ammunitions.

•  Open General Export License (OGEL) :

  • a one-time export license, which permits the industry to export specified items to specified destinations, enumerated in the OGEL, without seeking export authorisation during the validity of the OGEL.

•  A Scheme for Promotion of Defence Exports has been notified to provide an opportunity to the prospective exporters an option to get their product certified by the Govt. and provides access to the testing infrastructure of Ministry of Defence for initial validation of the product and its subsequent field trials.

  • The certificate can be produced by the prospective exporter for marketing their products suitably in the global market.

• A separate cell has been formed in the Department of Defence Production to coordinate and follow up on export related action including enquiries received from various countries and facilitate private sector and public sector companies for export promotion.

• A Scheme to provide financial support to Defence Attaches for taking up actions for promoting exports of Indian made defence products both of public and private sector in the countries to which they are attached has been notified.

Measures Taken To Simplify Procedures to Promote Domestic Defence Manufacturing:

• In 2001, the Defence Industry sector, which was hitherto reserved for the public sector, was opened up to 100% for Indian private sector participation, with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 26% both subject to licensing.

• The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion has allowed FDI under automatic route up to 49% and above 49% through government route wherever it is likely to result in access to modern technology or for other reasons to be recorded.

                                                                                                                                        Source :- PIB   

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Understanding space Internet

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - Awareness in the field of Space

Context :       

• Recently, the world’s leading private company in space technology SpaceX has launched the Starlink Network in Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) aimed at providing low-cost and reliable space-based internet services to the world.

Starlinks :

• Starlink is a SpaceX project to build a broadband network with a cluster of orbiting spacecraft that could eventually number thousands.

• The Starlink satellites carry Hall thrusters, which use electricity and krypton gas to generate an impulse, to manoeuvre in orbit, maintain altitude and guide the spacecraft back into the atmosphere at the end of their mission.

• The Starlink network is one of several ongoing efforts to start beaming data signals from space.

Need to to launch satellites  :

• Currently, about 4 billion people, more than half the world’s population, do not have access to reliable Internet networks.

• And that is because the traditional ways to deliver the Internet — fibre-optic cables or wireless networks — cannot take it everywhere on Earth.

•  In many remote areas, or places with difficult terrain, it is not feasible or viable to set up cables or mobile towers.

Space Internet with Geostationary Satellite :

• Most of the existing space-based Internet systems use satellites in geostationary orbit.

  • Geostationary orbit is located at a height of 35,786 km over the Earth’s surface, directly above the Equator.

  • Satellites in this orbit move at speeds of about 11,000 km per hour, and complete one revolution of the Earth at the same time that the earth rotates once on its axis.

  • To the observer on the ground, therefore, a satellite in a geostationary orbit appears stationary.

Advantages :

• The signals from one geostationary satellite can cover roughly a third of the planet — and three to four satellites would be enough to cover the entire Earth.

• As satellites appear to be stationary, it is easier to link to them.

Disadvantage :

• The transmission from a satellite in geostationary orbit has a latency of about 600 milliseconds. The geostationary satellites are located at higher altitudes compared to LEO, thus the longer the distance that needs to be covered results into greater latency.

  • The latency is the time lag between a user seeking data, and the server sending that data.

Space Internet with Low Earth Orbit :

• The LEO extends up to 2,000 km above the Earth’s surface.

Advantages:

• The presence of satellite at a lower height from the Earth’s surface, will help to bring the lag down to 20-30 milliseconds, roughly the time it takes for terrestrial systems to transfer data.

• The signals from satellites in space can overcome obstacles faced by fibre-optic cables or wireless networks easily.
   

  • The traditional ways to deliver the internet — fibre-optic cables or wireless networks are not feasible in remote areas or places with difficult terrain.

  • Setting up cables or mobile towers in these areas is not viable.

Disadvantage :

• Due to its lower height, its signals cover a relatively small area. As a result, many more satellites are needed in order to reach signals to every part of the planet.

  • The satellites in these orbits travel at more than double the speed of satellites in geostationary orbit to balance the effects of gravity.

  • Thus, many more satellites are needed in the network to eliminate breaks in transmission of data.

• It will generate more space debris.

• The constellations of space internet satellites will make it difficult to observe other space objects, and to detect their signals.

There will be an increased risk of light pollution.

• Light reflected from the man-made satellites can interfere with — and be mistaken for — light coming from other space bodies.

                                                                                                                  Source :- Indian Express

SECURITY

Bilateral Maritime Exercise Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea)

GS PAPER - 03 SECURITY -  Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Context :

• Joint Exercise between the Qatari Emiri Navy and the Indian Navy, Za’ir-Al-Bahr (the Roar of the Sea).

Exercise Za’ir-Al-Bahr:

• Exercise Za’ir-Al-Bahr 2019 would strengthen cooperation and enhance interoperability between the two navies.

• The Exercise will include a three-day Harbour Phase and a two-day Sea Phase.

  • The activities during the harbour phase will include a seminar, professional interaction, official visits, and sports fixtures along with social and cultural events.

• The Sea Phase will include a Tactical Maritime Exercise involving the domains of Surface Action, Air Defence, Maritime Surveillance and Interdiction Operation and anti-terrorism.

                                                                                                                                  Source :- PIB

'Make In India' Initiative

GS PAPER - 03 SECURITY  - Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context :

• In pursuance of the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government, many policy measures have been taken by Ministry of Defence.

Measures taken in the defence sector:

• An innovation ecosystem for Defence titled Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) has been launched in 2018.

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) : The iDEX was launched by the Government of India in 2018 primarily aimed at the creation of an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in defence and aerospace by engaging industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes & academia, and provide them grants/funding and other support to carry out R&D which has good potential for future adoption for Indian defence and aerospace needs. iDEX will be funded and managed by a ‘Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)’ which has been formed as a ‘not for profit’ company. iDEX will function as the executive arm of DIO, carrying out all the required activities while DIO will provide high-level policy guidance to iDEX.

                   

• A separate procedure for ‘Make-II’ category has been notified under Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) to encourage indigenous development and manufacture of defence equipment.

• The Government has notified the ‘Strategic Partnership (SP)’ Model which envisages establishment of long-term strategic partnerships with Indian entities through a transparent and competitive process, wherein they would tie up with global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to seek technology transfers to set up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains.

• The Government has notified a Policy for indigenisation of components and spares used in Defence Platforms in 2019 with the objective to create an industry ecosystem which is able to indigenize the imported components (including alloys & special materials) and sub-assemblies for defence equipment and platform manufactured in India.

• The Government has decided to establish two defence industrial corridors to serve as an engine of economic development and growth of defence industrial base in the country, in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

• The Ministry has instituted a new framework titled ‘Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti’ in 2018 which aims to provide a boost to the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) culture in indigenous defence industry.

• The Defence Investor Cell was created wherein the Ministry will provide all necessary information including addressing queries related to investment opportunities, procedures and regulatory requirements for investment in the sector.

• Defence Products list requiring Industrial Licences has been rationalised and manufacture of most of parts or components does not require Industrial License.

                                                                                                                                                             Source :- PIB

India fares better than China in global bribery risk matrix

GS PAPER - 03 iNTERNAL SECURITY - Challenges to internal security;  basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.

Context :

• The Trace Bribery Matrix,2019 has been released by TRACE, a US based organisation.

Key Highlights :

• New Zealand was ranked 1st followed by Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

• India has been placed in a better position than neighbouring China.

• India is ranked 78th place with a total risk score of 48.

• Bangladesh has the highest business bribery risk among South Asian countries.

  • It has been placed at 178 position among 200 countries.

• On the other hand,Bhutan has the least risk of bribery among South Asian countries as it is placed at 52 in the ranking.

• Afghanistan(168) and Pakistan (153) are other countries where bribery risk is high in South Asia.           

Trace Bribery Matrix: TRACE is a US based organisation which provides ranking to various countries in terms of the risk of bribery companies face in doing business in those countries. The Matrix evaluates 200 countries countries under four parameters which are  business interaction with the government anti-bribery deterrence transparency and civil society oversight. Trace provides a score from 1 to 100 to each country for each domain. If a country gets a higher score it means it is at a higher risk of business bribery.

                                                                                                                                          Source :- Hindu Business Line

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