Prelims Factoids
UNESCO inscribes ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata' on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

What's the NEWS

• The Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO's 2003 Convention on Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata' on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 16th session being held at Paris, France from 13th to 18thDecember 2021.
• The Committee commended Durga Puja for its initiatives to involve marginalized groups, and individuals as well as women in their participation in safeguarding the element.

• Durga Puja not only is a celebration of the feminine divinity but is a consummate expression of dance, music, crafts, rituals, practices culinary and cultural aspects.
• The festival transcends the boundaries of caste, creed and economic classes and joins the people together in its celebration.

• With the inscription of Durga Puja in Kolkata, India now has 14 intangible cultural heritage elements on the prestigious UNESCO Representative List of ICH of Humanity.
• In recent years, the ICH elements that saw inscriptions are Kumbh Mela (inscribed 2017), Yoga (inscribed 2016) among others.
• India is a signatory of the 2003 UNESCO Convention which aims for the Safeguarding of the Intangible of the Intangible Heritage along with traditions and living expression.
• Intangible cultural heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills - as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated with them that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as a part of their cultural heritage.
• Furthermore, its importance is not in the cultural manifestation itself, but in the wealth of knowledge, know-how and skills that are transmitted from one generation to the next.

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has approved the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Government of the Republic of India and the Republic of Poland with a view to enhance capability and effectiveness of both countries in investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crimes related to terrorism through mutual legal assistance.

• The Treaty aims to enhance effectiveness of both the countries in investigation and prosecution of crime, through cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
• In the context of transnational crime and its linkages to terrorism, the proposed Treaty will provide a broad legal framework for bilateral cooperation with Poland in investigation and prosecution of crime as well as in tracing, restrain and confiscation of proceeds and instruments of crime as well as the funds meant to finance terrorist acts.
• After signing and ratification of the Treaty, suitable Gazette Notifications will be issued under the relevant provisions of Cr.P.C. 1973 to give effect to the provisions of the Treaty in India.

• The Union Cabinet, has approved an incentive scheme to promote RuPayDebit cards and low-value [uptoRs. 2,000) BHIM-UPI transactions (Person-to-Merchant (P2M)] in the country.

• Under the scheme, the acquiring banks will be incentivised by the Government, by way of paying percentage of value of transactions (P2M) done through RuPay Debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI modes of payments, at an estimated financial outlay of Rs.1,300 crore for a period of one year w.e.f. April 01, 2021.
• This scheme will facilitate acquiring Banks in building robust digital payment ecosystem and promoting RuPay Debit card and BHIM-UPI digital transactions, across all sectors and segments of the population and further deepening of digital payments in the country.
• It will also help in making accessible digital modes of payments to unbanked and marginalized populations, who are outside of the formal banking and financial system.

• India today is one of the most efficient payments markets in the world.
• These developments have been the outcome of the initiatives of the initiatives of the Government of India and innovation by various players in the digital payment ecosystem.
• The scheme will further spur research and development and innovation in fintech space, and will help the Government in further deepening of digital payments in various part of countries.

• The scheme has been formulated in compliance with the Budget announcements (FY 2021-22) by the Government to give further boost to digital transactions in the country.

• The Union Cabinet has approved the comprehensive program for the development of sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in the country.

• The program will usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing by providing a globally competitive incentive package to companies in semiconductors and display manufacturing as well as design.
• This shall pave the way for India's technological leadership in these areas of strategic importance and economic self-reliance.
• Semiconductors and displays are the foundation of modern electronics driving the next phase of digital transformation under Industry 4.0.
• Semiconductors and display manufacturing is very complex and technology-intensive sector involving huge capital investments, high risk, long gestation and payback periods, and rapid changes in technology, which require significant and sustained investments.
• The program will give an impetus to semiconductor and display manufacturing by facilitating capital support and technological collaborations.
• The programme aims to provide attractive incentive support to companies / consortia that are engaged in Silicon Semiconductor Fabs, Display Fabs, Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics / Sensors (including MEMS) Fabs, Semiconductor Packaging (ATMP / OSAT), Semiconductor Design.

• Development of semiconductor and display ecosystem will have a multiplier effect across different sectors of the economy with deeper integration to the global value chain.
• The program will promote higher domestic value addition in electronics manufacturing and will contribute significantly to achieving a USD 1 Trillion digital economy and a USD 5 Trillion GDP by 2025.

What's the NEWS

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister approved implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for 2021-26 with an outlay of Rs.93,068 crore.
• Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), Har Khet ko Paani (HKKP) and Watershed Development components have been approved for continuation during 2021-26.

• It a flagship programme of Government of India aims for financial support to irrigation projects.
• Apart from focused completion of 60 ongoing projects including their 30.23 lakh hectare command area development, additional projects can also be taken up. The inclusion criteria have been relaxed for projects under tribal and drought prone areas.
• Central funding of 90% of water component for two national projects, namely Renukaji Dam Project (Himachal Pradesh) and Lakhwar Multipurpose Project (Uttarakhand) has been provisioned.
• The two projects would provide beginning of storage in Yamuna basin benefitting six states of upper Yamuna basin, augmenting water supply to Delhi as well Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan and a major step towards rejuvenation of Yamuna.

• It aims for enhancement of physical access on the farm and expansion of cultivable area under assured irrigation.
• Under HKKP, surface minor irrigation and repair-renovation-restoration of water bodies component of PMKSY is targeted to provide additional 4.5 lakh hectare irrigation.
• In view of importance of rejuvenation of water bodies, the Cabinet has approved a paradigm shift in funding of their rejuvenation in both urban and rural areas, with significant expansion of their inclusion criteria, and enhancement of central assistance from 25% to 60% in general area.

• It focuses on development of rainfed areas towards soil and water conservation, regeneration of ground water, arresting runoff and promoting extension activities related to water harvesting and management.
• The approved Watershed Development component of Department of Land Resources envisages completion of sanctioned projects covering 49.5 lakh hectare rainfed/ degraded lands to bring additional 2.5 lakh hectare under protective irrigation, during 2021-26.
• A specific provision for development of springsheds has been included in the program.

• Launched in 2015, PMKSY is an umbrella scheme, providing central grants to the State Governments for specific activities detailed below.
• It consists of two major components by Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, namely, Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP), and Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP).
• HKKP, in turn, consists of four sub - components, being Command Area Development (CAD), Surface Minor Irrigation (SMI), Repair, Renovation and Restoration (RRR) of Water Bodies, and Ground Water Development. In addition, Watershed Development part is being implemented by Department of Land Resources.
• Another component of PMKSY, Per Drop More Crop is being implemented by Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• An internet-based platform called ‘VIHANGAM' integrated with a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) at Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) was inaugurated on 1st September 2021.

• The system consists of a Ground Control Station (GCS), an RPAS, internet lease line of 40 Mbps and VIHANGAM portal. It has been deployed at two opencast mines of MCL namely Bhubaneswari and Lingaraj initially on trial basis.
• The system enables real-time transmission of aerial video of mining activities from mines to internet platform which can be accessed through VIHANGAM portal by authorized personnel only having ID and password.
• The First Mile Connectivity project - Lajkura RLS has been awarded to L&T Limited with Operation and Maintenance for 5 years for a total value of Rs.285.05 crore.
• The Operation and Maintenance of Lajkura RLS will be done by L&T for a period of 05 years by engaging necessary manpower.

What's the NEWS

• Scientists of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, while studying the glaciers in the upper Kali Ganga valley, Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, Himalaya, found that the 5 km long unnamed glacier (30.28089N- 80.69344E), covering an area of ~ 4 km2 in Kuthi Yankti valley (Tributary of Kali River), abruptly changed its main course and merged with an adjacent glacier named Sumzurkchanki, due to changes in climate and tectonic forcing sometime between the Last Glacial Maxima (19-24,000 years ago) and Holocene (10,000 years ago).
• The Government encourages further research and study on the Himalayan region to find solutions to frequent natural calamities.
• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through its National Centre for Seismology is involved in the research using the recorded earthquake data to understand various phenomena related to earthquake processes and seismic hazard assessment particularly for Himalayan region.
• The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology has been pursuing research in understanding the causes and consequences of earthquakes, landslides and avalanches in the Himalaya with a view to provide mitigation measures.

What's the NEWS

• NTPC has awarded a project of "Standalone Fuel-Cell based Micro-grid with hydrogen production using electrolyser in NTPC Guest House at Simhadri (near Visakhapatnam)".

KEEP Learning KEEP Evolving
TEAM CL IAS