Governance/Government Initiatives/GSII
Geographical Information System (GIS) plans for around 75% Gram Panchayats completed
 

What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of Rural Development has reached an important milestone with the completion of Geographical Information System (GIS) plans for 2 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) out of 2.69 lakh GPs under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA using remote sensing technology based on the ridge to valley approach.

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development which helps the Gram Panchayat to ensure a scientific & holistic approach for planning at the Gram Panchayat level.
• It is an important tool to ensure participatory planning at the implementation level.
• The Ministry has provided detailed training on usage of GIS & RS (Remote Sensing) technology to Mahatma Gandhi NREGS functionaries of States/UTs through the initiative of the Ministry and NIRDPR (National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj).
• Thereafter, all the States/UTs prepared 4 GIS-based plans of GPs per block in FY 2020-21 as pilots, which was extended to all GP's after successful completion.

• Mahatma Gandhi NREGS has always emphasized Natural Resource Management (NRM) based planning to enhance the livelihood and NRM resource base in rural areas.
• The systematic development of land, harnessing of rainwater following watershed principles (Ridge to Valley Approach) and creation of income-generating assets has become important aspect of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS works.
• The planning of works under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS are now carried out using advanced technologies viz. Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS).
• Leveraged for this purpose is the much acclaimed ‘Bhuvan' space technology solution from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

• To further facilitate Gram Panchayat level planning of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS activities across India, Yuktdhara Geospatial Planning portal has been developed on Bhuvan Platform by National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA division MoRD.
• This planning portal also helps the other Ministries and Departments to see the geographical location of planned assets on a map in the web management system, which integrates planning for works, optimises convergence plans and facilitates effective monitoring of the implementation of works and creation of assets.

• The Ministry is also working towards integrating climate data with the above data through a joint initiative with FCDO of the UK, known as CRISP-M, which will further enable the local communities to understand the impact of changing climate in terms of various geophysical parameters and make smart decisions on them.
• This is initially proposed to be taken up in seven states viz. Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and will be expanded later to all other states as well.

• The GIS is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing the geographic terrain and offers scientific choices of development works suitable to the area.
• This technology integrates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by the maps.

• To celebrate 75 years of progressive India and commemorate 25^th year of enactment of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996 (PESA), the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in collaboration with Ministry of Tribal Affairs and National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj organised a ‘One Day National Conference on the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996 (PESA)' as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
• Six States namely Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana have notified PESA Rules.
• The remaining four States namely Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha should also frame PESA Rules and start implementing them soon.

• The 73^rd constitutional amendment was made in 1992 to promote local self-governance in rural India
• A three-tier Panchayati Raj Institution was made into a law through this amendment
• However, its application to the scheduled and tribal areas under Article 243(M) was restricted.
• After the Bhuria Committee recommendations in 1995, Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act 1996 came into existence for ensuring tribal self-rule for people living in scheduled areas of India.
• It is a law enacted by the Government of India for ensuring self governance through traditional Gram Sabhas for people living in the Scheduled Areas of India.
• Scheduled Areas are areas identified by the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• Scheduled Areas are found in ten states of India which have predominant population of tribal communities.
• The Scheduled Areas, were not covered by the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment or Panchayati Raj Act of the Indian Constitution as provided in the Part IX of the Constitution.
• PESA was enacted on 24 December 1996 to extend the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution to Scheduled Areas, with certain exceptions and modifications.
• PESA sought to enable the Panchayats at appropriate levels and Gram Sabhas to implement a system of self-governance with respect to a number of issues
• PESA is an Act to provide for the extension of the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution relating to the Panchayats and the Scheduled Areas.
• The PESA conferred the absolute powers to Gram Sabha, whereas state legislature has given an advisory role to ensure the proper functioning of Panchayats and Gram Sabhas.
• The power delegated to Gram Sabha cannot be curtailed by a higher level, and there shall be independence throughout.
• The PESA is considered to be the backbone of tribal legislation in India.
• PESA recognises the traditional system of the decision-making process and stands for the peoples' self-governance.

• Right to mandatory consultation in land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced persons.
• Protection of traditional belief, the culture of the tribal communities
• Ownership of minor forest products
• Resolution of the local disputes
• Prevention of land alienation
• Management of village markets
• Right to control production, distillation, and prohibition of liquor
• Exercise of control over money-lending
• Any other rights involving the Scheduled Tribes.

• The Prime Minister of India will inaugurate the "InFinity Forum", a 2-day thought leadership Forum on FinTech, on 3^rd December 2021.
• The event is being hosted by International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) under the aegis of Government of India (GoI) in collaboration with GIFT City and Bloomberg
• Indonesia, South Africa and the U.K. are partner countries in the first edition of the Forum.

• It is IFSCA's flagship financial technology and global thought leadership event where pressing problems, progressive ideas, innovative technologies from across the world gets Discovered, Discussed and Developed into Solutions
• It unites the world's leading minds in policy, business, and technology to discuss and come up with actionable insight into how technology and innovation can be leveraged by the FinTech industry for inclusive growth and serving the humanity at large.
• IFSCA is a unified authority for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in India.

• Union Minster of Civil Aviation inaugurated a curtain raiser event about Wings India, 2022 which is Asia's largest event on Civil Aviation
• The Civil Aviation Ministry, AAI and FICCI with the support of MEA and states government organising this important event i.e. Wings India 2022, Hyderabad with the apt theme India@75: "New Horizon for Aviation Industry".
• It aims to bring together the key stakeholders of the Global Aviation market, International regulators, States Governments and business associations as a group representing airlines, to facilitate direct interaction with various airlines, airport operators, cargo operators and other players at a common platform.

Defence/Indigenisation of technology/GSIII
Government signs Contract for procurement of Two Fixed Base Full Mission Simulator (FBFMS) for Jaguar Aircraft from HAL for IAF

What's the NEWS

• The government has signed a contract for procurement of two Fixed Base Full Mission Simulators (FBFMS) for Jaguar Aircraft from HAL for IAF with five years Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract (CAMC) at a combined total cost of Rs.357 crore.
• These simulators would be installed at Air Force Stations Jamnagar and Gorakhpur.

• The manufacturing of Fixed Base Full Mission Simulator (FBFMS) by HAL will give a further push to the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and boost indigenization of defence production and the defence industry in the country.
• The commissioning of the first FBFMS with associated equipment shall be completed within 27 months from the contract at Air Force Station Jamnagar & the 2nd FBFMS shall be completed within 36 months from the contract at Air Force Station Gorakhpur.
• With the procurement of these simulators, IAF will enhance the quality of flying training to higher standards by exposing the pilots to various contingencies in the entire operating envelope including simulation of advanced long-range weapons.

• Prime Minister formally hand over Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) System ‘Shakti' to the Indian Navy at a ceremony held as part of Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv at Jhansi on 19 Nov 2021.
• Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) System ‘Shakti' has been designed and developed by Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL) Hyderabad a laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for Capital Warships of the Indian Navy for the interception, detection, classification, identification and jamming of conventional and modern Radars.

• The Shakti EW system will provide an electronic layer of defence against modern radars and anti-ship missiles to ensure electronic dominance and survivability in the maritime battlefield.
• This system will replace the earlier generation EW Systems of the Indian Navy.
• The system has been integrated with the wideband Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) for the defence of Indian Navy Ships against missile attacks.
• The ESM of the system helps in finding accurate direction and interception of modern radars.
• The system has a built-in radar fingerprinting and data recording replay feature for post-mission analysis.
• First Shakti system has been installed on-board INS Visakhapatnam and is being installed on-board Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant.
• Twelve Shakti Systems are under production at Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) supported by more than fifty MSMEs at a total cost of Rs 1805 Crores.
• These systems are scheduled to be installed on-board capital warships under production, including P-15B, P-17A and Talwar class follow-on ships.

• An offshore security exercise, code-named ‘Prasthan' was conducted in the Offshore Development Area (ODA) off Mumbai,under the aegis of Headquarters, Western Naval Command.

• Conducted every six months, this exercise is an important element of ensuring offshore security and aims to integrate the efforts of all maritime stakeholders, including the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Coast Guard, ONGC, the Port Trust, Customs, the state fisheries department and the Marine Police, in refining SOPs and response-actions to a variety of contingencies in the ODAs.
• The exercise was conducted on the MHN platform of ONGC located about 94 nm west of Mumbai.
• Contingencies such as terrorist intrusion, bomb explosion, major fire, oil spill, man overboard, casualty evacuation, loss of control of vessel and mass evacuation were exercised.
• The exercise provided all stake holders a realistic scenario to assess their readiness to respond to and combat contingencies in the Western ODA, as also to operate together in a coordinated manner.

• INS Trikand is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman as part of Operation Sankalp, the Indian Navy's effort to maintain a frontline ship in the region to ensure safe and secure movement of trade, instill confidence in the maritime community and contribute to regional maritime security.
• INS Trikand is a state-of-the-art guided missile stealth frigate and is part of the Western Fleet that operates under the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, based at Mumbai.

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