03 DECEMBER 2021 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS | UPSC CDS CAPF AFCAT NDA SSB

1. PAIKA REBELLION OF ODISHA

The 1817 Paika rebellion of Odisha could not be called the first war of Independence, but considering it as a beginning of a popular uprising against the British, it would be included as a case study in the Class 8 National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) history textbook, the Union Culture Minister.

About:

The Culture Ministry had received a reference from the Odisha Chief Minister asking that the Paika rebellion be declared the first war of Independence.
The minister said the matter was examined in consultation with the Indian Council of Historical Research, under the Union Education Ministry, and according to the comments by the Indian Council of Historical Research, the Paika rebellion could not be called the first war of Independence.
However, from a historical point of view, it can be said that the ‘Paika Bidroha’, which was set off in March 1817 and continued until May 1825, had set an example for the classes as well as the masses in India to follow later on.
Accordingly, considering that this is one of the beginnings of popular uprisings against the British in India, it has been decided to include it as a ‘case-study in the Class VIII history textbook of NCERT.

Source: The Hindu

2. UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES (PREVENTION) ACT

Putting a person accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act behind bars for an unduly long time with no progress in the trial or appeal process is a violation of his or her fundamental right and a threat to public confidence in the administration of justice, the Supreme Court has held in a judgment.

Key highlights of the judgement:

While deprivation of personal liberty for some period may not be avoidable, the period of deprivation pending trial/appeal cannot be unduly long.
At the same time, timely delivery of justice is part of human rights and denial of speedy justice is a threat to public confidence in the administration of justice.
Once it is known that a timely trial is not possible and the accused has already suffered a significant period of incarceration, the courts are “obligated” to enlarge an undertrial on bail.
The court noted that cases investigated by the National Investigation Agency should be tried on a day-to-day basis and have priority over other cases.

Source: The Hindu

3. SMART CITIES MISSION (SCM)

The deadline for completing projects under the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was extended for all 100 participating cities to June 2023 due to the delays caused by COVID-19 and based on a NITI Aayog recommendation in August, according to Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry sources.

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The Ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that “the period of implementation of SCM has been extended to June 2023”.
Though announced in 2015, the SCM was conducted as a competition with cities being selected from 2016 to 2018.
The cities were given five years to complete the projects under the mission, with the first set of Smart Cities expected to complete in 2021, but a mid-term evaluation found that further work needed to be done to complete the projects.

Source: The Hindu

4. ZyCoV-D VACCINE

Union Health Secretary asked seven States to identify high-priority districts where the three-dose ZyCoV-D vaccine could be launched initially.

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Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, will identify the districts with high numbers of people who have not received the first dose, for introduction of ZyCoV-D.
National training for administration of ZyCoV-D has been completed. Also, the selected States have been asked to plan sessions based on pharmajet injectors and identify vaccinators for training. Unlike some vaccines, ZyCoV-D needs a special applicator for administration.
The States have been told to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries of the first dose are covered and available vaccines given timely and that no dose expires in both the Government and private facilities.
The ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ nation-wide COVID-19 vaccination campaign has resulted in a hike of 5.9% in the first dose coverage [till November 30] and a jump of 11.7% in the second dose coverage has been registered during the campaign.

Source: The Hindu

5. POSITIVE INDIGENISATION LISTS

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has made a provision to grant exemption to the Services for the import of equipment and systems on the “Positive Indigenisation Lists” or the negative import list in certain cases.

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This will be reviewed by the Defence Indigenisation Committee (DIC) to be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).
These guidelines will be applicable prospectively with effect from the date of issuance,” the notifications dated November 2, 2021 stated. It was put out by the MoD on November 24.

Source: The Hindu

6. CHINA-MALDIVES RELATIONS

Chinese firm Sino Soar Hybrid Technology, whose energy project was suspended in Sri Lanka after India raised concern over its location close to the Tamil Nadu coast, recently signed a similar project in the Maldives.

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Maldives Ministry of Environment signed a contract with the Chinese energy company for the “design, supply, installation and maintenance of grid-tied” solar PV-diesel hybrid power generation plants in all 12 inhabited islands of Thaa Atoll, south of capital Male.
It was in January this year that Sri Lanka’s Cabinet cleared an energy project involving the same firm, in its northern islands of Nainativu, Delft or Neduntheevu, and Analaitivu, located off Jaffna Peninsula in the Palk Bay, some 50 km off Tamil Nadu.
However, India raised concern, offering to execute the project with a grant of $12 million. While there has been no official announcement on the project since, sources told The Hindu that “discussions [on the India-backed project] are on”. Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties too objected to the Chinese project then, saying it posed a “security threat” to India.

Source: The Hindu

7. BUTTERFLY SPECIES

A butterfly survey at the Peechi-Vazhani wildlife division has recorded a remarkable increase in the species’ numbers.

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Southern Birdwing, the largest butterfly in India, and Grass Jewel, the smallest, were found during the survey. Buddha Peacock, the State butterfly of Kerala, was also recorded.
Of the 326 found in Kerala, 156 species were recorded in the 242-sq. km. division.
The four-day butterfly survey was conducted by the Kerala Forest Department and the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS) Thiruvananthapuram.
The Peechi-Vazhany, Chimmony, and Chulannur Wildlife Sanctuaries were surveyed using 14 base camps.
Peechi-Vazhany Wildlife sanctuary had 132 species of butterflies, Chimmony had 116 species, while Chulannur recorded 41 species. The survey noted 80 species, almost double, to the older record of Peechi-Vazhany, 33 to Chimmony, and 41 species to Chulannur.
Other notable species are Nilgiri Grass Yellow, Travancore Evening Brown, Malabar Flash, Orange Tailed Awl, Southern Spotted Ace and Common Onyx.
The report of Common Tinsel at Chulannur was another highlight. Altitudinal migration of Common Albatross was recorded in Chimmony.

Source: The Hindu

8. ELECTRICITY CAPACITY FROM NON-FOSSIL FUEL

India has achieved the ambitious target of 40 percent of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.

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The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has said that total installed non-fossil fuel-based capacity stands at 156.83 Giga Watts in the country. It said, the country has achieved this target last month, way ahead of the target year set at Conference of the Parties-21 held in France.
The Ministry said, as a part of its Nationally Determined Contributions, India had committed to achieve 40 percent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030.
The Ministry said, the country’s installed Renewable Energy capacity today stands at 150.05 Giga Watts while its nuclear energy-based installed electricity capacity stands at 6.78 Giga Watts.
It said, this brings the total non-fossil based installed energy capacity to 156.83 Giga Watts which is 40.1 percent of the total installed electricity capacity of over 390 Giga Watts.
The Ministry said, the government is committed to achieve 500 Giga Watts of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by the year 2030 in line with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcement at the recently concluded CoP-26.

Source : All India Radio

9. DAM SAFETY BILL (2019)

The Rajya Sabha passed the landmark Dam Safety Bill (2019), paving the way for enactment of the Dam Safety Act in the country. The Dam Safety Bill (2019) was passed by the Lok Sabha on 2nd August 2019.

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The Bill provides for the surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of all specified dams across the country. These are dams with height more than 15 metres, or height between 10 metres to 15 metres with certain design and structural conditions.
It constitutes two national bodies:
- the National Committee on Dam Safety, whose functions include evolving policies and recommending regulations regarding dam safety standards; and
- the National Dam Safety Authority, whose functions include implementing policies of the National Committee, providing technical assistance to State Dam Safety Organisations (SDSOs), and resolving matters between SDSOs of states or between a SDSO and any dam owner in that state.
It also constitutes two state bodies: State Committee on Dam Safety, and State Dam Safety Organisation. These bodies will be responsible for the surveillance, inspection, and monitoring the operation and maintenance of dams within their jurisdiction.
Functions of the national bodies and the State Committees on Dam Safety have been provided in Schedules to the Bill. These Schedules can be amended by a government notification.
An offence under the Bill can lead to imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both.

Source: The Hindu

10. FOUR-PRONGED PLAN ON SRI LANKA CRISIS

India and Sri Lanka agreed to a four-pronged approach to discuss initiatives on food and energy security to help mitigate Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, during a two-day visit by Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to New Delhi.

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The decisions included a four-pillar initiative, comprising
- lines of credit for food, medicines and fuel purchases granted by India,
- a currency swap agreement to deal with Sri lanka’s balance of payment issues,
- an “early” modernisation project of the Trinco oil farms that India has been pursuing for several years, and
- a Sri Lankan commitment to facilitate Indian investments in various sectors.
It was agreed that modalities to realise these objectives would be finalised early, within a mutually agreed timeline.
Jaishankar will meet Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday in Abu Dhabi when they will inaugurate the Indian Ocean Region Conference organised by the India Foundation.

Important Info :

Background

India and Sri Lanka have had a number of differences on economic issues in the past two years, particularly over the perception that the Rajapaksa Government has favoured Chinese companies on projects that it expedites.
Matters came to a head this year after President Gotabaya cancelled an MoU signed with India and Japan for the East Coast Terminal project. India protested the cancellation though it later agreed to the West Coast Terminal being developed by the Adani group.

Source : The Hindu

03 DECEMBER 2021 DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS | UPSC CDS CAPF AFCAT NDA SSB

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