9 Oct CA

1.

Swahid Dayal Das Panika Swaniyojan Achoni of Assam

Steps are being taken to provide children of tea tribe communities with the best education available. The scholarship amount of Rs. 25,000 each to beneficiaries under the scheme shall be increased to Rs. 50,000

This is a scheme launched by the Assam state government for the tea tribe to improve their commercial capabilities.

2.

The Assam government on Sunday distributed a financial grant of Rs 47 crore to 1,182 surrendered cadres of five Adivasi militant groups

The government will also facilitate skill-training of the former rebels through agencies such as the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD)

What is SIRD?

The State Institute of Rural Development, Assam is the apex body in the broad field of training and research in rural development.

Sri Munindra Sharma, IAS is the present Director of SIRD

3.

Following Bihar and Rajasthan, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday pushed for a similar caste-based census in Assam so that all backward communities in the state receive “dignity” and “justice”.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday has announced that the state will conduct a caste-based census like done in Bihar.

While the Census of India has been publishing data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, there has been no estimate for the population of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other groups.

The History of Caste-based Data Collection in India:

Caste-based data collection has a long history in India, with information on castes being included upto 1931.
Post 1951, the decision to stop collecting caste data was made to move away from a divisive approach and promote national unity.
However, with changing socio-political dynamics and the need for accurate information, there has been a renewed call for a caste census.

4.

SECC (Socio-Economic and Caste Census):

SECC was first conducted in 1931 which aimed to collect information on the economic status of Indian families, both in rural and urban areas, to identify indicators of deprivation.
It also collects data on specific caste names to evaluate the economic conditions of different caste groups.

Difference Between Census & SECC :

Census provides a general portrait of the Indian population, while SECC is used to identify beneficiaries of state support.
Census data is confidential under the Census Act of 1948, while personal information in SECC is open for use by government departments to grant or restrict benefits to households.

5.

India to mark 10 Oct as Good Manufacturing Practice Day

The government along with the Indian Drugs Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) plans to celebrate the first ever National Current Good Manufacturing Practice Day (cGMP Day) on 10 October, as they focus on improving the poor quality of many Indian drugs.

The pharma industry has been hit by several incidents of Indian cough syrups causing the deaths of children in importing countries, following which government has made GMP guidelines mandatory for all drugmakers

This day (10 October) shall be dedicated to entire pharmaceutical industry to create awareness on the cGMP guidelines.

6.

Least developed countries set expectations for COP28 with Dakar Declaration

Ministers from the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDC) issued a joint Dakar Declaration on Climate Change 2023 outlining their expectation and priorities for 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Dakar Declaration called for urgent global emissions reductions, increased climate finance, a strong outcome operationalising the new Loss and Damage Fund and an ambitious Global Stocktake to close the gaps in global climate action.

The COP28 will be convened from November 30, 2023 to December 12, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

7.

India gets 5th set of Swiss bank account details under automatic info exchange framework

About Automatic exchange of information (AEOI) framework

It provides for the automatic exchange of a predefined set of information between tax authorities.
The AEOI Standard requires the annual exchange of information on financial accounts held by non-resident individuals and entities in a pre-defined format.
The information exchanged includes details about the financial account (e.g. the financial institution maintaining it, the account number and the account balance) and details about the account holder (e.g. their name, address, date of birth, and taxpayer identification number).

8.

Former prime minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi are to be indicted in the cipher case on October 17

The cipher case pertains to a diplomatic document which reportedly went missing from Imran’s possession. The PTI alleges that it contained a threat from the United States to oust the party chairman from office.

Mr Khan, 71, was arrested in August after a case was filed against him for allegedly violating the Official Secrets Act by disclosing a secret diplomatic cable (cipher) sent by the country’s embassy in Washington in March last year.

9.

Claudia Goldin wins Nobel Prize in Economics for work on women’s labour market outcomes

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, awarded in memory of Alfred Nobel, was bestowed upon Professor Claudia Goldin of Harvard University for her comprehensive research on women’s contribution to the labor market.

She provided the first comprehensive account of women’s earnings and labor market participation throughout the centuries. Her research reveals the causes of change and the main sources of the remaining gender gap.

Goldin is the 55th recipient of the prize and the third woman to receive the award since its inception in 1969. With this, the prestigious Nobel awards season concludes for the year

10.

• Hamas fighters carried out a deadly attack in Israeli towns, resulting in the deaths of 600 people and the abduction of dozens.
• In retaliation, Israel launched air strikes in Gaza, targeting housing blocks, tunnels, mosques, and Hamas officials’ homes, resulting in over 370 deaths, including 20 children.

Emergence of recent Israel Palestine conflict:

The recent Israel-Palestine conflict in October 2023 emerged from a number of factors, including:

• The ongoing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, which has been in place since 1967.
• The continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law.
• The blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has been imposed by Israel and Egypt since 2007 and has caused a humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
• The rise of right-wing extremism in both Israel and Palestine.

In the immediate lead-up to the conflict:

• On October 7, 2023, Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas launched a large-scale offensive against Israel from the Gaza Strip. The offensive included rocket attacks on Israeli cities and towns, as well as infiltration attempts by Palestinian militants.
• Israel responded to the offensive with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and a ground invasion of the territory. The fighting lasted for several days and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, including civilians.

11.

Key provisions of the Digital India Act 2023 (DIA):

• Online safety and trust:The DIA places a strong emphasis on online safety and trust, with a commitment to safeguarding citizen’s rights in the digital realm while remaining adaptable to shifting market dynamics and international legal principles.
• New-age technologies:The DIA provides guidelines for the responsible utilisation of new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. Through this, it aims to not only encourage the adoption of these technologies but also to ensure that their deployment is in line with ethical and legal principles.
• Open internet:The DIA upholds the concept of an open internet, striking a balance between accessibility and necessary regulations to maintain order and protect users.
• Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements:The DIA mandates stringent KYC requirements for wearable devices, accompanied by criminal law sanctions.
• Review of the “safe harbour” principle:The DIA contemplates a review of the “safe harbour” principle, which presently shields online platforms from liability related to user-generated content, indicating a potential shift in online accountability standards.

Concerns

• Impact on innovation and ease of doing business:Stricter regulations, particularly in emerging technologies, could inadvertently stifle entrepreneurial initiatives and deter foreign investments.
• Freedom of expression:The review of the “safe harbour” principle could lead to a more cautious approach among online platforms, possibly impinging on freedom of expression.
• Effective enforcement:The DIA’s success hinges on effective enforcement, which will require substantial resources, expertise, and infrastructure.
• Balancing interests of stakeholders:Balancing the interests of various stakeholders, including tech giants, while ensuring the protection of citizen rights, poses a significant challenge.

Conclusion

The DIA is a crucial step towards ensuring a secure, accountable, and innovative digital future for India. It represents a forward-looking approach to regulation in an age of constant change and has the potential to shape the country’s digital landscape for generations to come.

12.

• ISRO performed a trajectory correction manoeuvre on the Aditya-L1 spacecraft.
• The manoeuvre took place on October 6, 2023.
• The spacecraft is in good condition and on its way to the Sun-Earth L1 point.

About Aditya-L1:

• Aditya-L1 is India’s first solar observatory, designed and developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was launched on September 2, 2023, and is currently en route to its final orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) between the Earth and the Sun.
• Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven scientific payloads that will study the Sun’s atmosphere, corona, and solar wind. The payloads will collect data on a variety of solar phenomena, including solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and the solar cycle.
• The data collected by Aditya-L1 will help scientists to better understand the Sun’s behavior and its impact on Earth and the solar system. This knowledge could be used to develop improved methods for predicting and mitigating space weather events, which can have a significant impact on power grids, satellites, and other critical infrastructure.
• Aditya-L1 is a significant milestone in India’s space program and a valuable contribution to global solar research. It is expected to provide new insights into the Sun and its impact on our planet for many years to come.

13.

• A new study explores the coexistence of dholes (Asiatic wild dogs) and tigers in the Manas National Park in Assam, India.
• Dholes are an endangered species, and the study aimed to understand their habitat use and factors influencing coexistence with other carnivores.
• The study found a positive association between dholes and tigers, challenging the assumption of antagonistic interactions.
• Factors such as overlapping prey availability or habitat suitability may facilitate this positive relationship.
• The study suggests further research to understand the mechanisms underlying this coexistence.

14.

Links between consanguinity and genetic diseases:

• Consanguinity, the practice of marrying close relatives, is still prevalent in some human societies, especially in Asia and West Africa.
• It has shaped both cultural and genetic aspects of human history, leaving an impact on genetic vulnerabilities.
• Scientists have studied the levels of inbreeding in various populations and have identified groups with high genetic relatedness.
• Consanguinity can lead to an increase in mortality and the rate of recessive genetic diseases in populations.
• While consanguinity is undesirable among humans, it is used in breeding plants and animals to eliminate deleterious genetic alleles.
• Ancient populations may have experienced evolutionary bottleneck events and consanguinity, which could have contributed to human traits and diseases.
• Molecular measures like runs of homozygosity are used to understand the genetic history of populations and identify genetic diseases.
• The relationship between consanguinity and complex diseases like type-2 diabetes is still under investigation.
• Advances in genomics research may lead to innovative solutions to mitigate the risks associated with consanguinity and improve health outcomes through personalized medicine and genetic diagnostics.

15.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that it had carried out a Trajectory Correction Maneuver (TCM) for the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, to ensure it reaches its destination at the Sun Earth Lagrangian point 1.

Why is TCM necessary?

• ISRO scientists had indicated that a TCM would be necessary for Aditya-L1 soon after the spacecraft began its journey toward the L1 point on September 19, after orbiting the earth for 17 days.
• Unlike lunar missions, which take about three weeks to cover the 384,400 km distance to the Moon, deep space missions to Mars (distance of 225 million km) and the Lagrangian Point 1 (distance of 1.5 million km) take several months (Mars around 11 months and L1 around four months)
• The longer distances require the mission to incorporate trajectory correction plans using orbit determination calculations, to ensure the spacecraft remains on the right course towards its destination.

What are Trajectory Correction Maneuvers?

• The Aditya L1 spacecraft is to be injected into an orbit around L1. For this to be achieved, the spacecraft has to travel on a planned trajectory.
• After the Trans Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion manoeuvre on September 19, scientists found that there could be trajectory errors that would need correction.
• There is a provision in the mission for this sort of manoeuvre, which is called a trim manoeuvre.
• Smaller corrections involve firing of engines on the spacecraft for shorter durations, which results in conserving of fuel while bigger corrections need longer firing of the engines.

When has ISRO performed TCMs in the past?

• The manoeuvres are required only in deep space missions.
• The Mars Orbiter Mission witnessed three TCMs.
• The manoeuvres were carried out to ensure that the Mars Orbiters attained the right trajectory to reach a distance of 500 km (plus or minus 60 km) from the Red Planet.
• If the correction manoeuvres were not carried out, the spacecraft would have reached a distance of 723 km periapsis (the point in the path of an orbiting body at which it is nearest to the body that it orbits).

16.

• The Surprise attack by Hamas on Israel has brought back memories of the Yom Kippur war, which reset equations in West Asia.

What was the Yom Kippur war?

• The Yom Kippur war was fought between Israel on one side and Egypt and Syria on the other, from October 6 to 25, 1973.
• It is also called the Fourth Arab-Israeli war, coming after three wars in 1949, 1956, and 1967.

Why is the current violence being compared to the Yom Kippur war?

• Firstly, this has been the deadliest attack on Israel since the Yom Kippur war.
• The second similarity is the criticism within Israel for the state being found unprepared.
• The attack on Saturday came as a surprise, despite Israel’s advanced intelligence and interception systems.
• While the 1973 war came on Yom Kippur, Saturday’s attack came when many Israelis were preparing to observe Simchat Torah, which marks the end of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new one.
• The Torah constitutes the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

17.

• As Hamas, the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip, mounted one of the most audacious attacks on Israel, many have called it the worst inside the Jewish state’s territory since its creation in 1948.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock at what he called “terrorist attacks” and conveyed “solidarity with Israel”.

About India- Israel relations

• 1990: Though India recognized Israel in 1950, normalization took another 4 decades. This was aided by the weakening of Arab support to Palestine. This improved further after the break-up of the Soviet Union.
• 1992: While there were defense deals and cooperation in S&T and agriculture, India balanced its ties with its historical support for the Palestinian cause, its dependence on the Arab world for oil, and the pro-Palestinian sentiments of the country’s Muslim citizens.
• 2000:L K Advani became the first Indian minister to visit Israel. The same year, Foreign Minister also visited Israel. The two countries also set up a joint anti-terror commission in that year.
• 2003:Ariel Sharon became the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India.
• 2017: The year marks the first visit of the Indian Prime minister to Israel. With Abrahamic accords in 2020, UAE, Sudan, Bahrain, and Morocco normalized relations with Israel. This has made India more confident of its relations with Israel.

Military ties and the Kargil war

• The establishing of full diplomatic ties with Israel came in especially handy during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
• The Indian Air Force desperately needed precision target bombs as Pakistani intruders were hiding in caves and bunkers atop mountains in Kargil.
• The IAF reached out to their Israeli counterparts, who wasted no time.
• They are understood to have dug into their emergency stockpiles and shipped the weapons to India, which proved to be decisive in the hour of need.

18.

• The Centre has approved an initiative aimed at computerising and empowering the registrars of all 28 states and 8 union territories as well as 1,851 Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) operating across 13 states.

Details:

• The initiative has been approved by the Ministry of Cooperation.
• A Central Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) will be established for this scheme, which will work towards the successful implementation of the scheme.

19.

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) secured the final forest clearance, six years after it got the provisional nod.

Background:

• The government had developed an ambitious plan for the interlinking of rivers in order to alleviate the water shortage difficulties afflicting many regions of the nation.
• One of the first river interlinking projects to be executed in India is the Ken-Betwa link project, which is one of the National Perspective Plan’s (NPP) objectives.
• This project seeks to increase potable water supply, offer yearly irrigation for almost 10 lakh hectares throughout the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and produce 103 MW of hydropower in the Bundelkhand region.
• One of the 30 river interlinking projects that have been proposed around the nation is the Ken Betwa river project.

About The Project

• In order to irrigate agricultural land and provide drinking water to the Bundelkhand region, the Ken-Betwa river interlinking project will join the two rivers and transport water from one to the other.
• The construction of the ‘Daudhan dam’ on the Ken River in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district would take eight years.
• A canal is anticipated to run from this point via the districts of Tikamgarh and Chattarpur in Madhya Pradesh and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, transporting water from the Ken to the Betwa river.

Potential advantages of the project:

• The Ken Betwa connection project is designed to serve multiple purposes, including better using available water resources and solving water scarcity in various Bundelkhand region locations.
• Recurrent droughts are common in the area, which has had an effect on socioeconomic growth. Furthermore, the area does not have abundant groundwater because of the hard rock and marginal alluvium landscape. As a result, the Ken Betwa river project will aid in harnessing monsoon floodwater and stabilising the supply of water during dry months, particularly in drought years.
• Additionally, annual irrigation and hydropower generation will be provided by the project connecting the Ken and Betwa rivers. In the Bundelkhand region, up to 62 lakh people would also benefit from the project’s increased drinking water supply.
• According to reports, the project will annually irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares of land, produce 103 MW of hydroelectric power, 27 MW of solar power, and provide drinking water to around 62 lakh people.

Concerns Raised:

Environmental impact of the Project is a source of worry.

• Several groups, including the panel chosen by the Supreme Court, have expressed concern over the proposal.
• Concerns have been raised by environmentalists about the effects it will have on the Panna Tiger Reserve. Due to the construction taking place inside the national park, about 46 lakh trees are probably going to be cut down.
• As part of the Ken Betwa river interlinking project, 6,017 hectares of forest area are anticipated to be flooded beneath the Daudhan dam of the KBLP.
• Numerous wildlife species that are seriously endangered can be found at Panna Tiger Reserve. Along with endangered vulture species like the white-rumped vulture, it is home to more than 52 tigers.
• For the project, an estimated 4.6 million trees would be felled, which will have a negative impact on rain in the already parched Bundelkhand region.

20.

The last day for the public to avail of exchange or to deposit high-value Rs 2000 banknotes at the banks was Saturday (October 7).

A day before the deadline, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das had said only about Rs 12,000 crore (or 3.37 per cent) of the currency notes remained in circulation. This essentially meant over 96 per cent of the total value of Rs 2,000 banknotes were back in the banking system.

The final update from the RBI was yet to be notified after the deadline was over.

According to the RBI, Rs 2000 banknotes can continue to be exchanged by individuals or entities at the 19 RBI Issue Offices up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time; or can tender Rs 2000 banknotes for credit to their bank accounts in India for any amount; else people within the country can also send Rs 2000 banknotes through India Post, addressed to any of the 19 RBI Issue Offices for credit to their bank accounts in India.

Those 19 RBI Issue Offices are in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Belapur, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Patna and Thiruvananthapuram.

21.

Holongi, a town on the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, is undergoing a transformation led by the initiative of local self-help groups, particularly women. In a significant development, the region has seen the inauguration of a Dani Ajin Self-Help Group and the construction of new culverts over streams, changing the face of this border town.

The event witnessed the Additional Deputy Commissioner inaugurating the Dani Ajin Self-Help Group, marking a historic moment for Papum Pare district. For the first time, self-help group women from this district have taken the lead in construction projects aimed at promoting local development.

Notably, one E-rickshaw was handed over to these women by the local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) as part of their empowerment efforts.