Daily Current Capsules
06 March 2023

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME EXERCISE/ CUTLASS EXPRESS 23 (IMX/ CE-23)

 

What's the NEWS

• INS Trikand is participating in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) being held in the Gulf region from 26 Feb to 16 Mar 23.
• INS Trikand will exercise with participants from over 50 nations and international maritime agencies with the common aim of enhancing maritime security and keeping sea lanes in the region safe for maritime commerce.
• IMX/CE-23 is one of the largest multinational maritime exercises in the world.
• While this is Indian Navy's maiden IMX participation, it also marks the second occasion where an Indian Naval ship is participating in an exercise conducted by the CMF.
• Earlier, in Nov 22, INS Trikand had participated in the CMF led Operation Sea Sword 2.
• Participation in exercises like Sea Sword 2 and IMX/CE-23 enables the Indian Navy in strengthening relationships and enhancing interoperability and collective maritime capability with maritime partners in the IOR.
• It also enables the Navy contribute constructively to regional stability and security.

 

Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)

 

 

• It is a multi-national naval partnership, which exists to promote security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world's most important shipping lanes.
• CMF's main focus areas are defeating terrorism, preventing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and promoting a safe maritime environment.
• Participation is purely voluntary.
• The 34 nations that comprise CMF are not bound by either a political or military mandate. CMF is a flexible organisation.
• 34 member nations: Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, The Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, United States and Yemen.
• India is not a member of CMF.
• CMF is Commanded by a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral.

 

Deakin University

 

What's the NEWS

• The Deakin University, which is a premier University in Australia, has become the 1st foreign university to receive approval of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to set up an International Branch Campus (IBC) in GIFT-IFSC, GIFT City, Gujarat.
• In the Union Budget 2022-23, it was announced that "World Class Foreign Universities and Institutions will be allowed in the GIFT City to offer courses in Financial Management, FinTech, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, free from domestic regulations, except those by the IFSCA to facilitate availability of high-end human resources for financial services and technology".

 

GIFT-IFSC

 

• Gujarat International Finance Tech-city (GIFT) SEZ is India's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) under Special Economic Zone Act, 2005("SEZ Act 2005").
• It is being developed as a global financial services hub.
• The IFSCA, which is the unified financial regulator for IFSCs in India, notified IFSCA (Setting up and Operation of International Branch Campus and Offshore Education Centres) Regulations, 2022 in October, 2022

 

Porter Prize 2023

 

What's the NEWS

• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India received the Porter Prize 2023.
• The prize was announced at "The India Dialog" organized by Institute for Competitiveness (IFC) and US Asia Technology Management Center (USATMC) at Stanford University
• It recognized the government's strategy in managing COVID-19, also the approach, and involvement of various stakeholders especially involvement of ASHA workers in the industry to create PPE Kits.

Know! about Porter Prize

• Porter Prize is named after Michael E. Porter, an economist, researcher, author, advisor, speaker and teacher.
• He has brought economic theory and strategy concepts to bear on many of the most challenging problems facing corporations, economies and societies, including market competition and company strategy, economic development, the environment and healthcare.
• His research has received numerous awards, and he is the most cited scholar today in economics and business.

 

Supreme Court verdict on ECI appointments

 

What's the NEWS

• The Supreme Court stepped in to check what it called the "pernicious effects of the exclusive power being vested with the Executive to make appointment to the Election Commission" and ordered that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) shall be appointed on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India.
• A five-judge Constitution Bench presided by Justice K M Joseph said where no Leader of Opposition is available, the committee will include the leader of the largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha in terms of numerical strength.

 

Know! the timeline

• In 2015, a public interest litigation was filed by Anoop Baranwal challenging the constitutional validity of the practice of the Centre appointing members of the Election Commission.
• In October 2018, a two-judge bench of the SC referred the case to a larger bench since it would require a close examination of Article 324 of the Constitution, which deals with the mandate of the Chief Election Commissioner.
• In September last year, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph began hearing the case and almost a month later, the verdict was reserved.

 

Know! about Article 324 of the Constitution

 

• According to Article 324(2) of the Constitution, the CEC and ECs shall be appointed by the President, with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, till Parliament enacts a law fixing the criteria for selection, conditions of service and tenure.

 

Know! about Election Commission of India (ECI)

 

• It is an autonomous and permanent constitutional body responsible for organizing free and fair elections in India.
• The Constitution grants the ECI with the power of direction, superintendence, and control of elections to Parliament, state legislatures, the office of president of India, and the office of vice-president of India.

 

Know! the Powers and responsibilities of ECI

 

• Determining the Electoral Constituencies' territorial areas throughout the country.
• Preparing and periodically revising electoral rolls and registering all eligible voters.
• Notifying the schedules and dates of elections and scrutinizing nomination papers.
• Granting recognition to the various political parties and allocating them election symbols.
• The Commission also has advisory jurisdiction in the matter of post-election disqualification of sitting members of Parliament and State Legislatures.
• It issues the Model Code of Conduct in elections for political parties and candidates so that no one indulges in unfair practice or there is no arbitrary abuse of powers by those in power.
• The commission consists of a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs).

 

Know! the provisions of current appointment of CEC and ECs

 

• Under Article 324 (2), the President appoints the CEC and other
• The President makes the appointment on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
• The Constitution does not prescribe any qualifications, academic or otherwise, for appointment to these offices.
• The tenure of office and the conditions of service of all the commissioners is determined by the President.
• The tenure of commissioners is 6 years or up to the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
• The CEC and the two other ECs have the same powers and emoluments, including salaries, which are the same as a Supreme Court judge.
• All three commissioners have the same right of taking a decision. In case of a difference of opinion amongst the three members, the matter is decided by the Commission by a majority.
• Article 324 of The Constitution of India mentions the provisions to safeguard and ensure the independent and impartial functioning of the Election Commission.
• The CEC is provided with security of tenure. He cannot be removed from his office except in the same manner and on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
• Any other election commissioner or a regional commissioner cannot be removed from office except on the recommendation of the CEC.

 

SATHEE (Self Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams) Platform

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launced SATHEE, a self-paced assessment platform developed by University Grants Commission, Ministry of Education and IIT Kanpur.

 

Know! about the SATHEE Platform:

 

• SATHEE - Self Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams - is a platform which will allow students to have a self-paced interactive learning and assessment platform to prepare for competitive entrances and other exams.
• It will help students gain access to training and coaching for competitive examinations for free.
• SATHEE aims to make the students learn the concepts and focus on their weak topics so they feel confident to give any exams by watching videos prepared by IIT and IISc faculty members.
• It provides free learning resources, including 800 videos in 12 regional languages.
• The platform will also provide regular all-India mock tests to help prepare for competitive exams, in addition to mentorship sessions by IIT and AIIMS students who shall act like SATHEES.
• The interactive programme is currently open for coaching help for JEE and NEET.
• It makes use of an indigenously-developed AI programme called Prutor, which was developed by IIT-Kanpur.

 

Sisupalgarh

 

 

What's the NEWS

 

• The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) authorities have lodged a complaint against unidentified miscreants at Dhauli police station in Bhubaneswar accusing them of damaging a portion of the wall of the fortified ancient city of Sisupalgarh, a majestic archaeological heritage that has survived over 2,600 years, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

 

Know! about Sisupalgarh

 

• It is located near the city of Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
• It was once the capital of Kalinga, which is the ancient name of Odisha.
• It is considered one of the largest and best-preserved ancient fortifications in India.
• The fortifications are over 2,000 years old and date back to the 3rd or 4th century BC.
• The remains of the fortification were discovered in 1948 by the Indian archaeologist B.B. Lal.
• It was designed and constructed in a complete square shape that was surrounded by defensive walls.
• Each side spreads for over half a mile, and the interior is full of stone ruins and sculptures.
• The walls of the fortification are a little over nine meters (30 feet) tall.
• There were eight gateways into the city, two in each of the four sides of the wall.
• The gateways were connected by streets in a grid-like arrangement with the palace in the center.
• The gates were elaborate structures made of brick and stone.
• There is evidence of stone-lined reservoirs that were likely used for harvesting rainwater.
• Intelligent traffic management, pedestrian-friendly pathways, grand gateways with guard houses, wide roads, and a vast open space were some of the key features of this ancient city.
• The city is believed to have a population of around 20,000 to 25,000.

 

Pusa basmati 1847

 

What's the NEWS

 

• Hundreds of farmers, who thronged to the famous 'Krishi Vigyan Mela' held at Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi faced inconvenience while buying the seeds of pusa basmati 1847 variety
• The three-day annual 'Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela', organised by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
• The sale of seeds developed by IARI has always been the main attraction of the mela and farmers from states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar travel long distances just to buy the "quality Pusa seeds".

 

Know! about pusa basmati 1847

 

• It is an improved version of the popular Basmati rice variety, Pusa Basmati 1509 with inbuilt resistance to bacterial blight and blast disease.
• This variety possesses two genes each for bacterial blight resistance, namely, xa13 and Xa21, and blast resistance, namely, Pi54 and Pi2.
• It is an early maturing and semi-dwarf basmati rice variety.
• It has an average yield of 5.7 tonnes/ ha.
• This variety was released for commercial cultivation in 2021.
• It is cultivated in the Himalayan foot hills of the Indian sub-continent and is universally known for its long grain size, fluffy texture, and unique inherent aroma and flavour.

 

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