Daily Current Capsules - 03^rd JULY 2019

Defence
Garuda VI
Indo-French Joint Air Exercise Garuda-VI Begins

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Garuda VI ) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• The Indian Air Force and Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) are going to be participating in a bilateral air exercise Garuda VI at Mont de Marsan in France.

Know! more about the exercise

• The exercise, scheduled to take place from 01 July to July 12, 2019, exercise will see the most potent fighter aircraft of the two countries going head-to-head to validate the latest defence strategies and fine-tune their waging capabilities and is expected to showcase fighter jets like Rafale, Mirage 2000, Sukhoi 30 from the two sides.
• While the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent comprises of 120 air-warriors and four Sukhoi 30 MKI along with an IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft, French Air Force units will comprise the likes of Rafale, Alpha Jet, Mirage 2000, C135, E3F, C130, and Casa.
• The exercise will also give a chance to the Air Force to assess the capabilities of their aircraft against the Rafale jets which will join the Indian forces in the next few months.
• The first Rafale will be handed to the Indian Air Force in September 2019 after an intensive 1500 hours of testing to validate the India Specific Enhancements on it. Hence, the first batch will be ready to be inducted at Ambala around May 2020.

Government Schemes
Jal Shakti Abhiyan': Government launches water conservation campaign 

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Jal shakti Abhiyaan) + Mains ( GS III environment conservation + GS II government policies and interventions)
What's the NEWS

• Union Jal Shakti Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan- a campaign for water conservation and water security in 1592 stressed blocks in 256 districts.
• The campaign will run from July 1 to September 15 and the second phase will run between October 1 and November 30.

Know! about Jal Shakti Abhiyan

• It is a collaborative effort of various Union Ministries and State Governments, being coordinated by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS).
• The Jal Shakti Abhiyan will be centred around five aspects: water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies, reuse of water and recharge of borewell structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation.
• These efforts will be supplemented with other interventions, including the development of block and district water conservation plans, promotion of efficient water use for irrigation and better choice of crops through Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
• The campaign will run through citizen participation during the monsoon season, from 1^st July, 2019 to 15^th September, 2019
• An additional Phase 2 will be run from 1^st October, 2019 to 30^th November, 2019 for states receiving the North East retreating monsoons."
• The Jal Shakti Abhiyan should bring positive change in people for water conservation.

Know! more about the initiative

• With this initiative government aims to provide drinking water to every household on priority and in a sustainable manner.
• It is also expected to bring positive change in people for water conservation.
• Campaign will help people to work for rain water harvesting, maintenance and upkeep of ponds and village tanks and conservation of water

State Specific / Internal Security
Entire Nagaland declared ‘disturbed' for six more months under AFSPA

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about AFSPA) + Mains ( GS III internal security )
What's the NEWS

• Centre has declared the entire State of Nagaland a "disturbed area" for six more months under the controversial AFSPA, which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without prior notice.
• In a notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole State of Nagaland is in such a "disturbed and dangerous condition" that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.

Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958)

• In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the Central government hereby declares that whole of the said State to be a ‘disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from June 30, 2019 for the purpose of that Act

Know! about AFSPA in Nagaland

• The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been in force in Nagaland for several decades.
• It was not withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 by Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and government interlocutor R.N. Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The framework agreement came after more than 80 rounds of negotiations over 18 years. The first breakthrough came in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency.

Know! about AFSPA

• Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 came into force in context of increasing violence in North-eastern States of India decades ago, which State governments found difficult to control.
• It empowers security forces to maintain public order in ‘disturbed areas'. If reasonable suspicion exists, Armed forces have authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area, can conduct search operations anywhere without warrant, arrest anyone without warrant, ban possession of rearms among others.
• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs would usually enforce this Act, but exceptions exists where Centre decide to forego its power and leave decision to State governments.

Know! about the disturbed area

• It is one which is declared by notification under Section 3 of AFSPA.
• It can be invoked in places where use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary. Central Government, or Governor of State concerned or administrator of Union Territory (UT) can declare whole or part of State or UT as a disturbed area

Prelims Factoids
Tamil Yeoman is the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu

Relevance IN - Prelims (about Tamil Yeoman)
What's the NEWS

• The government declared the Tamil Yeoman as the state butterfly
• It becomes an addition to the existing symbols of the state tree of Palmyra Palm, the state flower of ‘Kandhal' (Gloriosa superba), the state bird of Emerald Dove and the state animal of Nilgiri Tahr.

Know! more about Tamil Yeoman

• A GO issued by the Environment and Forests department stated "the government, after careful examination of the proposal of the principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, declares Tamil Yeoman (Tamil Maravan, in Tamil) butterfly as Tamil Nadu State Butterfly".
• Tamil Nadu is the fifth state in the country to announce its state butterfly.
• Maharashtra was the first in the country to announce its state butterfly, the Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor), in 2015.
• Following in Maharashtra's footsteps, Uttarakhand in 2016 announced Common Peacock (Papilio polyctor), Karnataka in 2017 announced the Southern Birdwing (Troides minos) as its state butterfly while Kerala announced Malabar banded peacock (Papilio buddha) the same in 2018.
• Scientifically named Cirrochroa thais, Tamil Yeoman can be found in large numbers in the Western Ghats. According to Pavendhan Appavu, founder, Tamil Nadu Butterfly Society, it is the first butterfly which has not been chosen from the Swallowtail family, unlike Karnataka and Kerala.
• Karnataka and Kerala have chosen butterflies from the Swallowtail family. But Tamil Nadu chose its butterfly from the Nymphalidae family.
• The Tamil Yeoman can be seen in abundance in the Western Ghats, but its season is unpredictable. "They are generally seen during the monsoon seasons between October and November; and May and July.
• The two cousins of Tamil Yeoman, Common Yeoman and Large Yeoman, can be found in Northeast India.
• Butterflies are classified into six families. According to the Tamil Nadu Butterfly Society, species of all the six families are found in Tamil Nadu. "The state has 324 butterfly species
  
  

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