Daily Currentaffairs: 25 Oct 2020

Tables of contents

1. Bum La Pass

2.Kaleshwaram Project

3.Farm Bills of Punjab

4.Nazca Lines

5.India-US Defence Deals

1.Bum La Pass

Recently, a War Memorial has been constructed at Bum La, where Sub Joginder Singh, 1st Battalion the Sikh Regt made the supreme sacrifice.

About Bum La Pass

• It is a border pass between Tibet's Cona County and India's Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh.

• It is mandatory to take permission from the Indian Army to reach the pass.

• The pass currently serves as a trading point between Tawang and Tibet.

• It is the same place where one of the battles of the Sino-Indian War took place in the year 1962.

• It is an agreed Border Personnel Meeting point for the security forces of China and India.

Source: All India Radio

2.Kaleshwaram Project

Recently, the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal ruled that the Environmental Clearance given to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation System in December 2017 was void as the Telangana government subsequently changed the design of the project to increase its capacity.

About Kaleshwaram Project

• The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation System is considered to be one of the world’s largest multi-purpose projects.

• It is designed to provide water for irrigation and drinking purposes to about 45 lakh acres in 20 of the 31 districts in Telangana, apart from Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

• It is unique because Telangana will harness water at the confluence of two rivers with Godavari by constructing a barrage and reverse pump the water into the main Godavari River and divert it through lifts and pumps into a huge and complex system of reservoirs, water tunnels, pipelines and canals.

• Mission Bhagiratha, the Rs 43,000-crore project to supply drinking water to every household in villages, draws a large quantity of water from the KLIS and some quantity from projects on River Krishna.

Source: The Hindu

3.Farm Bills of Punjab

Recently, a special session of the Punjab Assembly rejected the laws by a unanimous resolution and passed three farm amendment Bills removing Punjab from the ambit of the central laws.

Key Highlights

• The Punjab government has claimed that the application of central laws to the state is being changed to restore the agricultural safeguards for the farmers through the regulatory framework of Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961.

• It aims to secure and protect the interests and livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers as also all others engaged in agriculture and related activities.

• The three Bills mention the agriculture census 2015-16 to underline that 86.2 per cent of farmers in the state are small and marginal, with the majority owning less than two acres of land.

• All the three Bills underscore the importance of farmers getting a level playing field in the form of a fair price guarantee.

• The Bills also point out that agriculture, agricultural markets, and land is the primary legislative domain of the state.

Key features of the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020

• The Bill seeks to address the fears of state farmers about being forced to sell their produce at less than the minimum support price (MSP).

• The amendment provided that the sale of wheat and paddy shall be valid only if the seller pays a price equal to or greater than the MSP announced by the central government.

• It states that any person or company or corporate house will be punished with imprisonment of not less than three years and a fine if he signs a contract wherein the farmer is compelled to sell his produce at less than the MSP.

• The Bill also allows the farmer to approach a civil court, besides seeking remedies available under the central act in case of any differences with the buyer of his produce.

Key amendments in The Farmer’s Produce and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill 2020

• One of the direct consequences of the central Act will be to nullify the MSP mechanism, this Bill also provides for punishment to sellers who buy wheat or paddy at less than the MSP.

  • It declares status quo in the state with regard to the APMC Act 2016.

• The Bill ensures that the private players will also be regulated by the rules of government mandis and they will have to procure licences and pay the market fees to buy produce from the state.

• The Bill also states that no punitive action will be taken against anyone for violating the provisions of the central Act.

Source: The Indian Express

4.Nazca Lines

Recently, the Nazca Lines grabbed the spotlight on social media after the discovery of a hitherto unknown massive carving that of a resting cat on the slope of a steep hill.

About Nazca Lines

• It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Peru.

• It is known for its depictions of larger-than-life animals, plants and imaginary beings.

• The Nazca Lines are a group of geoglyphs, or large designs made on the ground by creators using elements of the landscape such as stones, gravel, dirt or lumber.

• The Nazca Lines are believed to be the greatest known archaeological enigma, owing to their size, continuity, nature and quality.

• The images on the ground are so big in size that the best way to get a full view of them is overflying them.

• The Lines were first discovered in 1927 and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.

Source: The Indian Express

5.India-US Defence Deals

Recently, India and the US are preparing for the third 2+2 ministerial meeting between External Affairs Minister and Defence Minister, and US Secretary of State.

What is BECA?

• The Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement largely pertain to geospatial intelligence, and sharing information on maps and satellite images for defence.

• The signing of BECA will allow India to use the US’s advanced geospatial intelligence and enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones.

• BECA will give access to topographical and aeronautical data and products that will aid navigation and targeting.

• BECA will provide Indian military systems with a high-quality GPS to navigate missiles with real-time intelligence to precisely target the adversary.

What is LEMOA?

• The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement was signed between India and the US in August 2016.

• It allows the military of each country to replenish from the other’s bases i.e. access supplies, spare parts and services from the other country’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed.

• It is extremely useful for Navy-to-Navy cooperation, since the US and India are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific.

• In military terms, one’s Naval ships are strategic assets and use of another country’s base would expose one’s military asset to the host.

What is COMCASA?

• The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) was signed in September 2018, after the first 2+2 dialogue.

• It allows the US to provide India with its encrypted communications equipment and systems so that Indian and US military commanders, aircraft and ships can communicate through secure networks in peace and war.

• COMCASA paved the way for transfer of communication security equipment from the US to India to facilitate “interoperability” between their forces and potentially with other militaries that use US-origin systems for secure data links.

Source: The Hindu