International Organisations/GSIII/Governance/GSII
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)

What's the NEWS

• Sunil Arora, former Chief Election Commissioner of India has been invited to join the Board of Advisers for International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
• The Institute is assisted by a 15-member Board of Advisers who are eminent personalities or experts from a wide variety of backgrounds.

• The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), established in 1995, is an intergovernmental organization based in Stockholm, Sweden with a mission to support sustainable democracy worldwide.
• International IDEA currently has 34 member countries which include large and small, older and newer democracies from all continents.
• India has been one of the founding members of IDEA.

• FEMBoSA was established at the 3^rd Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of SAARC Countries held at New Delhi from April 30 to May 2, 2012 through a unanimously adopted resolution on 1^st May, 2012 to establish the Forum.
• The Conference also unanimously adopted the Charter of the Forum.
• The annual FEMBoSA meeting is held by rotation among the members.
• Besides ECI, the other 7 members are EMBs from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• The FEMBoSA represents a very large part of the democratic world and is an active regional association of the election management bodies of South Asia.
• The objectives of the Forum are to promote contact among the EMBs of the SAARC countries; share experiences with a view to learning from each other and cooperate with one another in enhancing the capabilities of the EMBs towards conducting free and fair elections.

• The Association of World Election Bodies (A- WEB) is the world's largest international organization in the field of election management.
• It currently comprises 118 Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from 108 countries. Since its establishment in 2013, A-WEB has indeed wholeheartedly pursued its mission and vision, as articulated in the A-WEB Charter.
• An A-WEB Centre has been set up at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, New Delhi for documentation, research and training; for sharing best practices and capacity building among the member EMBs.

• Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile was successfully flight tested by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.

• The launch was conducted from a vertical launcher against an electronic target at a very low altitude.
• The flight path of the vehicle along with health parameters were monitored using a number of tracking instruments deployed by ITR, Chandipur.
• All sub-systems performed as per expectation.
• The launch of the system was conducted to validate integrated operation of all weapon system components including the vertical launcher unit with controller, canisterised flight vehicle, weapon control system etc. required for future launches of the missile from Indian Naval Ships.
• The test launch was monitored by DRDO & Indian Navy.
• The first trial was conducted on 22 February 2021 and this is confirmatory trial to prove the consistent performance of the configuration and integrated operation.
• This system will further enhance defence capability of Indian Naval Ships against aerial threats.
• This has paved the way for integration of weapon system onboard Indian Naval Ships.

• A Curtain Raiser Event for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise, PANEX-21, for the member nations of BIMSTEC countries, was held at Kothari Auditorium DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi on 07 Dec 2021.
• The exercise is planned to be conducted from 20-22 Dec 21 at Pune and will witness participation from subject matter experts and delegates from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• During the event the Defence State Minister drew attention of the participants to the significance attached by India to the BIMSTEC, as part of our "Neighborhood First" policy.
• The success of the last two BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercises (DMEx-2017 at Delhi and DMEx-2020 at Puri) speak of the close coordination mechanism that the BIMSTEC nations share

• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employees Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal, which acts as a directory of skilled workforce.
• The objective is to provide a platform that matches supply of skilled workforce with the market demand, thereby facilitating better livelihood opportunities for youth and availability of ready skilled manpower to employers.
• ASEEM portal is being managed by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis of Ministry.
• As on 16.07.2021, 1.3 crore candidates have been registered on ASEEM portal which includes directly registered candidates and the candidates registered on Skill India Portal (SIP).
• The ASEEM Portal is to provide a platform that matches supply of skilled workforce with the market demand, thereby facilitating better livelihood opportunities for youth including migrants and availability of ready skilled manpower to employers.
• At present, there is around 10 lakh migrant's data/profile are available on ASEEM.

• Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Support to State Extension Programs for Extension Reforms" popularly known as ATMA Scheme is under implementation since 2005.
• Presently, Scheme is being implemented in 691 districts of 28 states & 5 UTs in the country.
• The scheme promotes decentralized farmer-friendly extension system in the country.
• The objectives of the Scheme is to support State Government's efforts and to make available latest agricultural technologies and good agricultural practices in different thematic areas of agriculture and allied areas to farmers through different extension activities viz; Farmers Training, Demonstrations, Exposure Visits, Kisan Mela, Mobilization of Farmers Groups and organizing Farm Schools etc.

• To ensure the smooth passage of international travellers arriving in India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has mandated contactless self-declaration at Air Suvidha Portal.
• The Air Suvidha portal was launched in August 2020 and now has been strengthened to accommodate travel guidelines issued on 30 November 2021.
• Air Suvidha is first of its kind digital portal for easing international passenger arrival in India.
• This portal developed by MOCA aids passengers in providing their details of travel and final stay along with RTPCR, Vaccination status etc.
• The implementation of the Air Suvidha intends to provide hassle-free, queue free, and convenient air travel to all international passengers arriving in India.

• Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) was launched in the year 2016 in mission mode to develop 300 clusters in the country holistically by provisioning of economic, social and physical infrastructure facilities.
• The goal of SPMRM is development of a cluster of villages that preserve and nurture the essence of rural community life with focus on equity and inclusiveness without compromising with the facilities perceived to be essentially urban in nature, thus creating a cluster of ‘Rurban villages.
• The main objectives of SPMRM are to stimulate local economic development, enhance basic services, and create well planned Rurban clusters.
• Under the Mission, presently, there are 109 tribal clusters and 191 non-tribal clusters under different stages of development across 28 States and 6 Union Territories (UTs) of the country.
• Out of 300 rurban clusters, 291 Integrated Cluster Action Plans (ICAPs) and 282 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been developed by States /UTs with a proposed investment of Rs. 27,788.44 (Critical Gap Fund + Convergence Fund).

• President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, paid a working visit to New Delhi on 06 December 2021 for the 21^st India - Russia Annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the sustained progress in the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' between both countries despite the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic
• They welcomed the holding of the first meeting of the 2+2 Dialogue of Foreign and Defence Ministers and the meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military-Technical Cooperation in New Delhi on 6 December 2021.
• In a 2+2 meeting earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held talks with their Russian counterparts
• During both the summit and the 2+2 talks, India and Russia discussed each other's national security concerns, ranging from the Indo-Pacific to China to Ukraine.
• The role of connectivity through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the proposed Chennai - Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor figured in the discussions.
• The two leaders looked forward to greater inter-regional cooperation between various regions of Russia, in particular with the Russian Far-East, with the States of India.
• Both sides renewed the military-technical cooperation agreement for another 10 years till 2031 and also signed the deal for the manufacture of AK-203 assault rifles.
• AK-203 Assault Rifles will tremendously augment the operational capability of our soldiers. Hence, this contract ends the long quest of Indian Army to replace aging INSAS Rifle with a modern weapon.
• AK-203 Rifle, having an effective range of 300 meters is a light weight and easyto use Modern Assault weapon with proven technology.
• The two countries signed 28 agreements, including 10-year military-technical partnerships and an agreement to jointly produce AK-203 rifles in India.
• The two sides had reiterated their joint efforts under the Roadmap for Cooperation in Hydrocarbons for 2019-24 to further deepen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
• India and Russia also vowed to enhance transport and connectivity while taking two-way trade to $30 billion by 2025.

• President Ram Nath Kovind is beginning his four-day visit (December 6-9) to Maharashtra by visiting the Raigad Fort where he will pay tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

• Raigad is a hill fort situated about 25 km from Mahad in the Raigad district and stands 2,851 feet above the sea level.
• The British Gazette states the fort was known to early Europeans as the Gibraltar of the East. Its decisive feature is a mile and a half flat top which has adequate room for buildings
• The fort, which was earlier called Rairi, was the seat of the Maratha clan Shirke in the 12th century.
• The fort changed hands a number of times from the dynasty of Bahaminis to the Nizamshahis and then the Adilshahis.
• In 1656, Chhatrapati Shivaji captured it from the More's of Javli who were under the suzerainty of the Adilshahi Sultanate.
• In 1662, Shivaji formally changed the fort's name to Raigad and added a number of structures to it. By 1664, the fort had emerged as the seat of Shivaji's government.
• On June 6, 1674, Shivaji was coronated at Raigad by Gagabhatt where he took on the title of Chhatrapati. Six years later, Shivaji passed away in Raigad in 1680 and was cremated at the fort.

• To improve leadership skills of grassroot women political leaders, the National Commission for Women (NCW) today launched a pan-India capacity building programme,‘She is a Changemaker' for women representatives at all levels, gram panchayats to parliament members and political workers including office bearers of National/State political parties.

• The capacity building programme will be undertaken in association with region-wise training institutes with an objective to undertake capacity building of women political leaders and improve their decision making and communication skills including, oration, writing, etc.
• The three-day capacity building programme for ‘Women in Municipal Corporation' will be organised from 7^th to 9^th December.
• Increased women participation in politics is the need of the hour and the Commission is committed towards helping them in their journey to the Parliament.
• This programme will benefit every woman who wishes to make an identity for herself in politics and help her to claim her rightful space in politics.

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