State Specific
KandhamalHaldi
On Foundation Day, Odisha receives GI tag for 'KandhamalHaldi'

Relevance IN - Prelims ( aboutKandhamalHaldi )

What's the NEWS

• KandhamalHaldi earned the GI tag . The GI tag was primarily developed with the purpose of recognising the unique identity connecting different products and places

Know! more about KandhamalHaldi

• 'KandhamalHaldi', a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, has earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India, an organisation functioning under the auspices of the Union ministry of commerce & industry.

• KandhamalHaldi has more oleoresin and volatile oil contents compared to other turmeric varieties.

• KandhamalHaldi gives strong aroma and has a high medicinal value.
• The recognition coincided with the state's Foundation Day (Utkal Divas). Odisha, on April 1 1936, was carved out as a separate state in the then British India on a linguistic identity.
• Kandhamal in Odisha's southern hinterland is famed for its turmeric, a spice that enjoys its pride of place in an array of cuisines. The agricultural product also stands out for its healing properties and arresting aroma.
• Last year, Kandhamal Apex Spices Association for Marketing (KASAM) had moved an application for GI tag for the locally sourced product. KASAM is a registered society involved in processing, value addition and marketing of spices and other products.

• The GI tag was primarily developed with the purpose of recognising the unique identity connecting different products and places. For a product to get GI tag, it has to have a unique quality, reputation or characteristic which is attributable to its geographic origin.

Social Security
Supreme Court upholds HC Judgment for higher pension
Relevance IN - Mains ( GS II Social Justice )

What's the NEWS
• The Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been dismissed by Supreme Court filed against a Kerala High Court Judgment setting aside Employee's Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014.

• Earlier Kerala High Court had asked Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to give pension to all employees on the basis of their full salary rather than capping the figure on which contribution is calculated at a maximum of Rs 15,000 per month.

Know! about the case
• EPFO amended the act on September 1, 2014 to increase the contribution to 8.33% of a maximum of Rs 15,000. The amendment reduced the pension of many employees.

• Kerala high court set aside the September 1, 2014 amendment and reinstated the old system of calculating the pensionable salary as the average of the last one year's monthly salary.
• In October 2016, the Supreme Court directed the EPFO to accept the requests of employees to contribute to the pension scheme on the basis of full salary, with back date, and give pension on full salary.

• Despite Supreme Court's judgement EPFO refused to accept contributions, stated EPFs are managed by trusts, while they were ready to contribute the due amount.
Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995
• The government had introduced the Employees Pension Scheme (EPS) in 1995, under which an employer was supposed to contribute 8.33% of the employee's salary in a pension scheme.

• But the contribution was capped at 8.33% of Rs 6,500 (or Rs 541 per month).
• In March 1996, the government amended the act and allowed the contribution to be a percentage of the actual salary, provided the employee and employer had no objection.

• Members of EPFO gets pension benefits when retires at age of 58.
• Minimum service period for availing benefits of EPS is ten years.
• Form 10D gives facility to apply for a monthly pension after retirement.
• Form 10C is used to withdraw EPS amount.

Know! the calculation method

• In present system Rs. 1250 (8.33%) is contributed of Rs. 15,000. At present system EPFO has fixed Rs. 15,000 as maximum salary for pension. However, 8.33% of actual salary was proposed.

• Since the employer contributes 8.33% of this salary in the employee's EPS account, the amount deposited in the EPS account of the employee every month is Rs. 15000 x 8.33/100 = Rs. 1250.

World Autism Awareness Day 2019
What's the NEWS
• The World Autism Awareness Day was observed across the world on April 2, 2019 with an aim to encourage the Member States of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout the world.

Theme of World Autism Awareness Day 2019

• The theme of World Autism Awareness Day 2018 was "Assistive Technologies, Active Participation".

• For people suffering from autism, the access to affordable assistive technologies is a must to enable them to exercise their basic human rights and thereby contribute to the understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Assistive technology can help them participate on an equal basis with others.

What is Autism?
• Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life.

• It results from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, mostly affecting children and adults in many countries irrespective of gender, race or socio-economic status.

• Autism is characterized by impairments in social interaction, problems with verbal and non-verbal communication and restricted, repetitive behaviour, interests and activities.

• Though there is no cure for it, therapeutic and behavioural guidance can considerably improve quality of life.

When was the day proclaimed?

• The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly through the resolution 62/139.

• The resolution to proclaim World Autism Awareness Day was passed in the UN Council on November 1, 2007.

• It was in 2008 when the UN General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day.

• World Autism Day is also one of the only four official health-specific UN Days.

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Persons with Disabilities

• In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the ambitious new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 SDGs and 169 targets that promise to leave no one behind.

• While all SDGs are universally applicable, disability and persons with disabilities are explicitly referenced in the following goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

International affairs
Estonia tops in E-voting with 44% of online votes
Relevance IN - Prelims (facts about Estonia and online voting)

What's the NEWS
• Estonia has emerged as a global leader in online voting with 44% of votes in the recently concluded parliamentary elections in the country. Centre-Right Reform Party emerged victorious with 40% of the e-votes and nearly 30% of the total votes.

• A large number (25%) of e-votes were cast by people over the age of 55, while 20% were cast by people aged between 45 to 54 years. With total 1.3 million of population, 5,61,131 were the total voters while 2,47,232 people preferred for online voting.
Know! about the working

• Votes can cast their vote online any time in the seven days before election Day. Online voting is not allowed on Election Day.
• It requires internet connection on computer or mobile.
• Before going for a final move voters need to download voting application form.
• Then voters need to verify their voter IDs so the voter's eligibility and registration can be verified.
• Voters must then fill out a digital ballot, sign and submit.
• Before sending it to election servers each vote gets encrypted.
• This server gives facility for changing of choices before Election Day.
E-Voting in Estonia

• Electronic voting pioneer Estonia was the first country in the world to use online voting for a national election in 2005.
• In year 2007 30,243 people voted online for the first time.
• In the same year, in 2007, Estonia introduced a special ID card system that allows people to use their phones to vote.
• In year 2015, online voting system was updated to allow voters to check if their vote was received by server or not.
• Estonia reached at a new high in 2017 with 32% of online voting during municipal elections.
• This year, Estonia becomes first in the world with highest numbers of online voting (44%).

Japan names new imperial era as 'Reiwa'

What's the NEWS
• Japan declared ‘Reiwa' as the name of its new imperial era that will begin on May 1, 2019 once the new Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne.

• Crown Prince Naruhito will succeed his father Emperor Akihito, who will abdicate the empire on April 30, 2019, putting an end to three decades long ‘Heisei' era.
• The new era will be the 248th in the history of Japan. The announcement regarding the same was made by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

• Japan's emperor has no political power, but remains a highly symbolic figure.

Know! all about the new era - Reiwa
• The era name ‘Reiwa' is drawn from the 7th century poetry collection "Manyoshu". The name is made up of the two characters ‘Rei' and ‘Wa' that stands for ‘order' and ‘peace', respectively.

End of ‘Heisei' era
• The current Japanese era is known as ‘Heisei' which means achieving peace. The era began on January 8, 1989, a day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, when Emperor Hirohito's son Emperor Akihito acceded to the throne as the 125th Emperor of Japan.

Origin of the concept of Imperial Era Name
• Japan imported the imperial calendar system from China about 1,300 years ago in 645 CE. The first era was named as ‘Taika' to celebrate the great Taika reform of 645.

• Japan adopted the practice of "one emperor, one era name" with the beginning of ‘Meiji' era that spanned from 1868 to 1912.

Names of four modern eras

There have been four era names in Japan's modern period:

• Meiji (1868-1912)
• Taisho (1912-1926)
• Showa (1926-1989)
• Heisei (1989-till now)

Prelims Practise Questions

Consider the following statements
1. 'Kandhamal Haldi', a variety of turmeric indigenous to southern Odisha, has earned the Geographical indication (GI) tag from Intellectual Property India, an organisation functioning under the auspices of the Union ministry of Agriculture and allied activities.

2. The World Autism Awareness Day was observed across the world on April 2, 2019 with the theme of "Assistive Technologies, Active Participation".

3. Japan declared ‘Reiwa' as the name of its new imperial era that will begin on May 1, 2019 once the new Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Find the correct statement from the option given below
a. 2 and 3
b. 1 and 3
c. 3 only
d. 1 only

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