Daily Current Capsules
16 and 17 January 2023

Sagar Parikrama Phase III

What's the NEWS

• The Department of Fisheries (DoF), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India (GoI) has launched the ‘Sagar Parikrama' program on the occasion of 75th Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Sagar Parikrama program is being organized through a pre-decided sea route covering coastal States/UTs.

‘Sagar Parikrama' aims to

• facilitate interaction with fishermen, coastal communities and stakeholders so as to disseminate information of various fisheries related schemes and programs being implemented by the Government
• demonstrating solidarity with all fisher folk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholder's as a spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat
• promote responsible fisheries with focus on the sustainable balance between the utilization of marine fisheries resources for food security of nation and livelihoods of coastal fisher communities, and
• protection of marine ecosystems. ‘Sagar Parikrama' program envisages to cover the maritime States/UTs in a phased manner.

 

Shruti Amrut

 

What's the NEWS

• SPIC MACAY organizes its very popular 'Music in the Park' series this year under the name "Shruti Amrut"in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the New Delhi Municipal Council.
• SPIC MACAY- The Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst youth is a voluntary youth movement that promotes the tangible & intangible aspects of Indian & world heritage by organizing programs and workshops of Indian Classical, Folk Music and dance, Yoga, meditation, crafts, and other aspects of Indian culture.
• It is a movement started in 1977 and has chapters in over 850 towns across the world.

 

Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Scheme

 

What's the NEWS

 

• The Central Government decided to give an additional ₹2,000 crore to States under the Special Assistance for Capital Investment scheme to incentivise them to scrap old vehicles and also provide tax concessions to individuals for it.

 

Know! about Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Scheme

 

• Under this Scheme, financial assistance is provided to the States Governments in the form of a 50-year interest free loan for capital investment projects.
• To avail the benefit for investments made this fiscal, states will have to submit details like name of the project, capital outlay, completion period and its economic justification to the expenditure department of the Union finance ministry.
• The loan provided under the scheme will be over and above the normal borrowing ceiling allowed to the States.
• Scheme allocation will be used for PM Gati Shakti related and other productive capital investment of the States.
• Besides, allocation would be made for digitisation of the economy, including digital payments and completion of optical fiber cable network, and reforms related to building bye-laws, town planning schemes, transit-oriented development, and transferable development rights.
• The scheme also includes Rs 5,000 crore interest-free loans which would be provided to incentivise states to undertake privatization or disinvestment of state public sector enterprises and asset monetisation.
• Such incentives to a particular state would be limited to Rs 1,000 crore.

 

Tharu people

What's the NEWS

 

• Forest officials of the Katarniaghat division are planning for the financial inclusion of the Tharu groups that live near the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) and are much affected by human-wildlife conflicts.

 

Know! about Tharu groups

 

• They are an ethnic group indigenous to the Terai region of the Himalayan foothills, located in southern Nepal and in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.
• Tharu in Nepal officially numbered about 1.5 million and those in India about 170,000.
• They speak various dialects of Tharu, a language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup of the Indo-Iranian group of the Indo-European family, and they are largely Indian in culture.
• Most Tharu practice agriculture, raise cattle, hunt, fish, and collect forest products.
• Although they are Hindu, the Tharu use their own traditional ritual specialists in addition to the Hindu Brahman priests.
• Each Tahru village is governed by a council and a headman.

 

Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS)

 

• It is situated in the Upper Gangetic plain falling in the Terai of Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh.
• It is part of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Lakhimpur kheri.
• The Katarniya Ghat Forest provides strategic connectivity between tiger habitats of India and Nepal.
• The sanctuary has a mosaic of Sal and Teak forests, lush grasslands, numerous swamps and wetlands.
• It is home to a number of endangered species including gharial, tiger, rhino, Gangetic dolphin, Swamp deer, Hispid hare, Bengal florican, the White-backed and Long-billed vultures.

 

Thiruvalluvar Day

 

 

What's the NEWS

• The Prime Minister, has paid homage to Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day and recalled his noble thoughts.
• Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated in Tamil Nadu on the fourth day of Pongal celebrations

 

Know! about Thiruvalluvar (commonly known as Valluvar)

 

• A renowned philosopher and poet who lived in the 4th century BCE, Thiruvalluvar made an immense contribution to Tamil literature.
• His works continue to echo through his works and inspire people.
• He was known for penning the Thirukkural, an epic collection of couplets on love, economic, political, and ethical issues.
• People in Tamilnadu revere his work and celebrate his literary contribution by recognizing him as a Tamil scholar.
• The city of Chennai hosts a beautifully sculpted statue of the famed scholar as a resolution to celebrate his contribution was passed on 17th January 1935.
• Thiruvalluvar day was first celebrated on the 17th and 18th of May in 1935.
• Over time it is to be observed on January 15th and 16th in Tamil Nadu and is integrated with Pongal celebrations.
• The earliest references to the poet are in Thiruvalluva Malai ( a Tamil text).

 

Know! about Thirukural

 

• Thiruvalluvar's primary work is the Thirukural, which consists of 1330 couplets distributed into 133 sections of 10 couplets each.
• Each text is divided into three parts and associated with teachings on artha, kama, and dharma (wealth, love, and virtue).
• Thiru means "revered," and "kural" means a style of poetic writing.
• The Thirukurral is available in 37 languages and also is the most translated work after the Bible.

 

EXERCISE ‘VARUNA' - 2023

What's the NEWS

 

• The 21st Edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France - Exercise Varuna commenced on the Western Seaboard today, 16 Jan 23.
• While the bilateral exercise between the two navies were initiated in 1993, it was christened as ‘VARUNA' in 2001 and has become a hallmark of India - France strategic bilateral relationship.
• This edition will witness participation of indigenous guided missile stealth destroyer INS Chennai, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol aircraft P-8I and Dornier, integral helicopters and MiG29K fighter aircraft.
• The French Navy will be represented by the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, frigates FS Forbin and Provence, support vessel FS Marne and maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique.
• The exercise will be conducted over five days from 16 to 20 January 2023.

 

First ever Military Tattoo & Tribal Dance Festival in the National Capital

 

What's the NEWS

• As part of the Republic Day celebrations 2023 and to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (celebrated as Parakram Diwas), the Military Tattoo & Tribal Dance performances are being showcased under the banner Adi- Shaurya: Parv Parakram kain Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on 23-24 January 2023.
• Themed as Military Tattoo & Tribal Dance, this event is aimed at throwing light on the contribution of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to our freedom struggle.
• The Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Tribal Affairs are jointly organising the event, with Indian Coast Guard being the coordinating agency.

 

National Digital University (NDU)

 

What's the NEWS

 

• Recently, the Education Ministry talks about establishing a National Digital University, which will transform access to higher education drastically reducing all direct and opportunity costs.
• The framework of India's first-ever National Digital University(NDU) envisioned under the National Education Policy, 2020.

 

Know! about National Digital University(NDU):

 

• The Central Government in its Budget 2022-23 announced the establishment of a digital university that provides access to students for world-class quality universal education with personalized learning experiences at their doorsteps.
• The institution will function under a hub-and-spoke model, which is where one product is delivered to various stakeholders from a central location.
• The digital content for various courses will be hosted on the Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) platform.
• The IT and administrative services will be provided through the government's Samarth portal.
• The university will offer exclusively online courses from its partner institutes, which could be both private and public universities, so far as they follow the NDU's model.
• The students can opt for certificate, diploma, or degree courses.
• NDU will allow students to pursue multiple courses at a time from the various partner institutes of NDU.
• Students will be able to register for programmes of individual universities through this Digital University.
• NDU aims to give students the liberty to design their own courses.
• Students will have the option of earning credits from multiple institutions and will have multiple exit points throughout the course.
• Courses will hold a certain number of credits, and students will be eligible for a degree from a particular institute when they have accumulated 50% of the credits of a programme from the institute concerned.
• In case the student earns credits from multiple institutions and crosses the credit threshold, the degree awarded will be by NDU.

 

Indian Army Day

 

What's the NEWS

 

• The 75th Army Day will be a first-of-its-kind event, taking place outside Delhi ever since the celebrations started in 1949.

 

Know! about Indian Army Day

 

• India celebrates Army Day on January 15 every year to commemorate the achievements of the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian Army - General (later Field Marshal) K.M. Cariappa.
• The Army Day is celebrated every year to honor Cariappa and the defence forces.
• Until last year, the main Army Day parade was held at the Cariappa Parade ground in Delhi where Service Chiefs paid homage to the Indian Army.
• The Army Day Parade showcases the evolution of various weapon systems held in the Indian Army's inventory.
• Soldiers are also awarded with Gallantry awards and Sena medals on the day.

 

Know! about Field Marshal KM Cariappa

 

• He was the First Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army and led the Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947.
• He is one of the two Indian Army officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal (the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw).
• He was appointed as the first Commander-in-Chief of an independent Indian Army on 15 January 1949 which is celebrated as Indian Army Day.
• He took over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir FRR Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief.
• In 1947, Cariappa was the first Indian who was selected to undergo a training course at Imperial Defence College, Camberley, UK on the higher directions of war.

 

G-20 Infrastructure Working Group

 

What's the NEWS

 

• The first G20 Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) meeting under G20 India Presidency will take place in Pune, Maharashtra on 16th -17th January 2023.

 

Know! about the G20 Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) meeting:

 

• The meeting will be joined by the IWG member countries, guest countries and international organizations.
• The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Government of India will host the two-day IWG meetings, along with Australia and Brazil as the co-chairs.
• The first IWG meeting in Pune would be attended by 65 delegates across the G20 membership, invitee countries and International Organizations.
• Theme: Financing Cities of Tomorrow: Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable.
• The theme will focus on various facets of making cities economic centres of growth, financing urban infrastructure, building future-ready urban infrastructure, directing fiscal investments for unlocking private financing for energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable infrastructure and mitigating social imbalances.

 

Votive Stupa

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently discovered two 1200-year-old miniature votive stupas during landscaping activities near Sarai Tila mound on the premises of ‘Nalanda Mahavihara', a world heritage site in Nalanda district.

 

Know! about Votive stupa

 

• These are forms of the stupas, with their distinctive domelike drum, originating in eight cylindrical structures in which the Buddha's relics were placed after his death.
• The stupa shape has become associated with the Buddhist goal of release from the cycles of suffering and rebirth.
• In addition to the drum, this stupa has a tiered base and is crowned with a series of stylized umbrellas that symbolize royalty and divine status.
• The larger ones at Bodhgaya were probably given by visiting kings, while smaller stupas such as this one were offered by monks and lay pilgrims.
• Beginning in the 7th century CE in India, small miniature terracotta stupas became popular as votive offerings.
• A stupa is a Buddhist commemorative monument usually housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other saintly persons.

 

Geospatial Hackathon

What's the NEWS

 

• Union Minister of Science & Technology recently launched Geospatial Hackathon to promote Innovation and Start-Ups in India's Geospatial ecosystem.

 

Know! about Geospatial Hackathon

 

• It is a hackathon to create interest in geospatial tech and specifically build solutions leveraging maps and satellite data for solving India's problems.
• The Department of Science and Technology(DST) under the Minister of Science & Technology in partnership with IIIT Hyderabad and Microsoft has launched this Hackathon.
• The Geospatial Hackathon will be divided into 2 parts

 

 

1. Research Challenge: The National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board and IIIT Hyderabad brings the Startup Challenge as part of this Hackathon intending to promote the use of geospatial technologies in solving real-world problems and fostering innovation in the Indian geospatial ecosystem
2. Startup Challenge: The Research Challenge is specific to the problem statements given by DST (Survey of India).) is proposing a Geospatial Data Processing, Solution development, and Servicing Challenge to foster the adoption of geospatial technologies and to promote innovation in India's Geospatial ecosystem.

 

Soul of Steel challenge

 

What's the NEWS

 

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently kick-started the ‘Soul of Steel' alpine challenge, an initiative to promote tourism in border areas, at an event in Dehradun coinciding with Veterans Day.

 

Know! about ‘Soul of Steel' challenge

 

• The ‘Soul of Steel' expedition will test one's high-altitude endurance and adventure in Uttarakhand's Garhwal Himalayas.
• It will initially have 12 Indian participants plus six international teams, between the age group of 18 and 30 years.
• The challenge will be spread across three months.
• It is being organized by CLAW Global, an entity comprising a group of veterans.
• The Indian Army is supporting the adventure challenge.
• It is based on the lines of the ‘Ironman triathlon', a long-distance triathlon held in Europe which tests an individual's physical capabilities.
• Participants will be selected through a detailed screening and training model through traditional and modern standards.
• The initiative is aimed at enabling life skill training and youth development.
• It is also expected to boost global promotion of adventure tourism in Uttarakhand.

 

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