19 NOV 2023 | Daily Current Affairs | UPSC CDS CAPF NDA AFCAT SSB

1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana

The Prime Minister recently distributed the 15th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana, totalling over Rs 18,000 crore and benefiting more than 80 million farmers.

About PM-KISAN:

It is a Central-Sector scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
Objective: The scheme aims to supplement the financial needs of the farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income.
It has become operational from 1.12.2018.
Under the scheme, income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal installments will be provided to all land-holding farmer families.
The definition of family for the scheme is husband, wife, and minor children.
The State Government and UT administration will identify the farmer families that are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
The fund will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
Exclusion Categories: The following categories of beneficiaries shall not be eligible for benefits under the scheme:
- All institutional landholders.
- Farmer families that belong to one or more of the following categories:
  - Former and present holders of constitutional posts.
  - Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers, and former/present Members of LokSabha/ RajyaSabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils, former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations, former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
  - All serving or retired officers and employees of Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments and its field units Central or State PSEs and Attached offices /Autonomous Institutions under Government as well as regular employees of the Local Bodies (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff /Class IV/Group D employees).
  - All superannuated/retired pensioners whose monthly pension is Rs.10,000/-or more (Excluding Multi Tasking Staff / Class IV/Group D employees) of above category.
  - All Persons who paid Income Tax in the last assessment year.
  - Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices.

Source : PM Kisan 15th installment: Check reasons for not credited, delay, follow these steps to receive Rs 2000 in your account

2. Chhath Puja

The great festival of Chhath started recently and is celebrated with great rituals and devotion.

About Chhath Puja:

It is an important Hindu festival celebrated in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
This festival is dedicated to God Surya and his sister Shashti Devi, often referred to as Chhathi Maiya, and it involves religious rituals.
The most unique feature of this Chhath Puja is that there is no Murti Pujan or Idol Worshipping, unlike most of the festivals of the Hindu religion.
The festival is celebrated in October or November, after Diwali.
The Chhath festival begins as the Diwali festival ends.
It is celebrated for four consecutive days and is celebrated with great reverence and dedication.
- The first day of the Chhath Puja includes taking a dip in the holy river/any water body. People also take the Ganges water to their homes to perform special offerings and rituals. Houses are thoroughly cleaned on this day.
- The second day of Chhath, also known as Kharna, involves devotees observing a day-long fast, which is broken in the late evening after performing the worship of Mother Earth. The offerings to God include rice pudding (kheer) and fruits, which is distributed among family members and friends.
- The third day of Chhath goes into the preparation of the prasad (offerings) for the evening offerings, also known as Sanjhiya Arghya. In the evening, large numbers of devotees gather on the banks of rivers and make offerings (Arghya) to the setting sun. The night of the third day witnesses a colourful event known as Kosi. A canopy is made from sugarcane sticks, and lighted earthen lamps are placed inside the canopy along with baskets filled with prasad.
- On the fourth and final day of Chhath, family members and friends go to the banks of rivers before sunrise and make offerings (Arghya) to the rising sun. After this ritual, devotees break their fast and distribute Prasad to neighbours and relatives.

Source : Chhath Puja 2023: Do Not Make These Mistakes During Chhath Puja or Chhath Mata Will be Angry

3. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

Australian naval personnel allegedly sustained minor injuries recently after “unsafe and unprofessional” conduct by a Chinese warship in international waters off Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

About Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ):

The concept of an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) was adopted through the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
EEZ, as defined under UNCLOS, is an area of the ocean extending up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) immediately offshore from a country’s land coast in which that country retains exclusive rights to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources.
Under international law, within its defined EEZ, a coastal nation has:
- Sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving, and managing the natural resources of the seabed, subsoil, and waters above it.
- Jurisdiction is provided for in international law with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations, and structures; marine scientific research; and the protection and preservation of the marine environment.
- Other rights and duties are provided for under international law.
Other States have the right for their ships and aircraft to traverse the EEZ and its airspace and to lay cable and pipelines.

What is Territorial Sea?

The territorial sea extends to a limit of 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal State.
Within this zone, the coastal State exercises full sovereignty over the air space above the sea and over the seabed and subsoil.
A coastal State may legislate on matters concerning the safety of navigation, the preservation of the environment, and the prevention, reduction, and control of pollution without any obligation to make these rules compliant with international standards.
Resource use within the territorial sea is strictly reserved for the coastal State.

Source : Australia expresses concerns after China targets its divers with sonar pulses

4. Epilepsy

National Epilepsy Day is celebrated every year in India on November 17 to raise awareness about the brain disorder and bust myths surrounding the disease.

About Epilepsy:

It is a brain disease where nerve cells don’t signal properly, which causes seizures.
A seizure is usually defined as a sudden alteration of behaviour due to a temporary change in the electrical functioning of the brain.
Normally, the brain continuously generates tiny electrical impulses in an orderly pattern. These impulses travel along neurons—the network of nerve cells in the brain—and throughout the whole body via chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
In epilepsy, the brain's electrical rhythms have a tendency to become imbalanced, resulting in recurrent seizures.
In patients with seizures, the normal electrical pattern is disrupted by sudden and synchronized bursts of electrical energy that may briefly affect their consciousness, movements, or sensations.
Seizures can be classified into two broad categories, depending on the location of abnormal brain activity.
- Seizure in one part of the brain is called a focal seizure, and it is usually accompanied by loss of consciousness, while in cases of generalised seizures, all areas of the brain are involved.
It is a chronic, noncommunicable disease that affects people of all ages.
Epilepsy (sometimes referred to as a seizure disorder) can have many different causes and seizure types.
Some people may have convulsions (muscles contract repeatedly) and lose consciousness. Others may simply stop what they are doing, have a brief lapse of awareness, and stare into space for a short period of time.
Epilepsy may develop as a result of many types of conditions that disrupt normal brain activity, known as “co-occurring conditions”. Examples of conditions that can lead to epilepsy include:
- Brain tumours
- Head trauma
- Alcoholism or alcohol withdrawal
- Alzheimer's disease
- Strokes, heart attacks, and other conditions that deprive the brain of oxygen
- Abnormal blood vessel formation (called arteriovenous malformations) or bleeding in the brain
- Brain inflammation or swelling
- Infections such as meningitis, HIV-related infections, and viral encephalitis
Around 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological diseases globally.
Nearly 80% of people with epilepsy live in low- and middle-income countries.
The risk of premature death in people with epilepsy is up to three times higher than in the general population.

Source : National Epilepsy Day is celebrated every year in India on November 17 to raise awareness around the brain disorder and bust myths surrounding the disease.

5. Zorawar Light Tank

India's indigenously designed and developed light tank, tentatively named Zorawar, is likely to be ready for trials soon.

About Zorawar Light Tank:

It is an indigenously designed and developed Light Tank.
It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Larsen & Toubro Limited.
Features:
- It is designed to operate in varying terrains, from high-altitude areas and marginal terrains to island territories.
- It will be highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational situation.
- It will be equipped with all the modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence, drone integration, a high degree of situational awareness, and amphibious operation capability.
- It will weigh less than 25 tonnes with a high power-to-weight ratio as well as superior firepower and protection.

Who was Zorawar?

He was a military general, Zorawar Singh Kahluria, and had served under Jammu’s Raja Gulab Singh in the 19th Century.
He is honoured for his conquests in the Himalayas, including Ladakh, Tibet, Baltistan, and Skardu.

Source : India's 'Zorawar' Light Tank, Designed For Operations On China Border, To Be Ready This Month For Trials In December

6. New plant species

A team of scientists from the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) have reported the discovery of two new plant species from the evergreen forest patches at the southern end of the Western Ghats.

About New plant species:

The new species Musseanda conferta and Rungia longistachya were discovered during recent explorations by BSI scientists.
Musseanda conferta
- It was discoveredin the rocky areas of Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary and is related to the Musseanda hirsutisima family.
- It prefers the vicinity of rocks in the high-altitude grassland ecosystems.
- It has attractive flowers, and the ornamental potential of this plant can be explored.
Rungia longistachya
- It belongs to the family Acanthaceae.
- It was discovered from the moist places of the Anamalai region near the Idukki dam site in Kerala.
- The plant is an herb and grows on the margins of evergreen forests.
- Only eleven species of Rungia have been reported from the Western Ghats, and the newly discovered plant has a distinct, narrow, long spike with a long slender peduncle and light pinkish-white flowers.

Key facts about Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary

It is located in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
It is situated near the southernmost tip of India at the confluence point of three major water bodies, namely the; Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.
Seven rivers have their origins in this forest,including the famous Pahrali and Thamirabarani rivers.
Vegetation: This region represents southern thorn forests, dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen forests and ever-green hill sholas with grassy downs.
Fauna: It is home to Indian Bison, Elephant, Nilgiri Tahr, Sambar Deer, Lion-tailed Macaque, and also reptiles such as Indian Rock Python.

Source : BSI scientists discover two new plant species on the Western Ghats

7. Measles

According to a report by the World Health Organisation and US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 11 lakh children in India missed their crucial first dose of the measles vaccine in 2022.

About Measles:

It is a highly contagious and serious airborne disease.
It is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family and is normally passed through direct contact and the air.
The virus infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body, causing severe disease, complications, and even death.
Symptoms
- The first sign of measles is usually a high fever, beginning about 10 to 14 days after exposure to the virus and lasting four to seven days.
- A runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks can develop in the initial stage.
- A rash erupts after several days, usually on the face and upper neck. The rash spreads over about three days, eventually reaching the hands and feet, and lasts five to six days before fading.
Any non-immune person (not vaccinated or vaccinated but not developed immunity) can become infected.
Unvaccinated young children and pregnant women are at the highest risk of severe measles complications.
Treatment: No specific antiviral treatment exists for measles.

Source : 11 lakh children in India missed the first measles shot in 2022: Report

8. Yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle

In the Peruvian Amazon, an extended heat wave and drought have shortened the incubation period for thousands of yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle hatchlings released into the river by biologists as part of a local environmental program.

About Yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle:

It is also known as the side-necked turtle, which cannot retract its head into its shell.
Hatchlings have very obvious yellow spots on their heads, which shrink as they grow.
It has brown or olive-coloured shells and is known for its distinctive yellow spots and black scales.
Males keep some of the yellow spotting; females lose their spots altogether.
Native Habitat

These are native to the Amazon River basin and can be found in the Amazon and Orinoco river systems in Venezuela, eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northeastern Peru, the Guianas, Brazil, and northern Bolivia.
These turtles spend time basking along the riverbanks and in the calm waters of big rivers and streams.
They avoid fast-moving waters.

They are omnivorous, feeding on both vegetation and small animals.
Conservation status
- IUCN: Vulnerable

Source : We're releasing life': Heatwave speeds turtle hatching in Peru

9. Gamma-ray Burst

A big star met its demise in a massive explosion called a supernova that unleashed a huge burst of gamma rays that traversed the cosmos and reached Earth last year, causing a significant disturbance in Earth's ionosphere.

About Gamma-ray Burst:

It is a powerful astronomical cosmic burst of high-energy gamma rays.
It emits more energy in a few seconds than our Sun will emit in its lifetime.
It has two distinct emission phases: the short-lived prompt emission (the initial burst phase that emits gamma-rays), followed by a long-lived multi-wavelength afterglow phase.
The shortest GRBs are likely to mark the collision of two compact stellar remnants called neutron stars and the longest bursts are thought to arise when a massive, rapidly spinning star collapses to form a black hole.
Sources of Gamma Ray
- They are produced by the hottest and most energetic objects in the universe, such as neutron stars and pulsars, supernova explosions, and regions around black holes.
- On Earth, gamma waves are generated by nuclear explosions, lightning, and the less dramatic activity of radioactive decay.

What is the ionosphere?

It is a layer of the planet's upper atmosphere that contains electrically charged gases called plasma.
It is situated about 30-600 miles (50-950 km) above Earth's surface.
It helps form the boundary between the vacuum of space and the lower atmosphere.
It helps protect life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.
It is highly sensitive to changing magnetic and electrical conditions in space, usually connected to solar activity.
It also expands and contracts in response to solar radiation.

Source : Gamma-ray burst in faraway galaxy disturbed Earth's upper atmosphere

10. Dwarf Planet Eris

Scientists are gaining a fuller understanding of Eris and its differences with Pluto.

About Dwarf Planet Eris:

It was discovered on January 5, 2005.
It is named after the ancient Greek goddess of discord.
It is a member of a group of objects that orbit in a disc-like zone beyond the orbit of Neptune called the Kuiper Belt.
It appears to have a rocky interior below a shell of ice.
It has about 25% more mass than Pluto.
Eris orbits at an average of about 68 times further from the sun than Earth, taking 557 years to complete one orbit.
It completes one rotation every 25.9 hours, making its day length similar to ours.
It has a very small moon called Dysnomia, which has a nearly circular orbit lasting about 16 days.
Just like the Earth-moon system, tides on Eris slowly push Dysnomia away and slow down the spin of Eris, and this process has come to completion.
Eris and Dysnomia always present the same face to each other.
Atmosphere:
- The dwarf planet is often so far from the Sun that its atmosphere collapses and freezes, falling to the surface as snow.
- As it gets closer to the Sun in its faraway orbit, the atmosphere thaws.

What is a Dwarf Planet?

It is a celestial body that -orbits the sun, has enough mass to assume a nearly round shape, has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit, and is not a moon.

Source : Scientists discern the internal structure of the mysterious dwarf planet Eris

19 NOV 2023 | Daily Current Affairs | UPSC CDS CAPF NDA AFCAT SSB

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