9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – November 2nd, 2022

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

• An ASHA worker writes: At 100, I see an India beyond the rural-urban divide; a healthy India
• Tel Aviv model: Israeli politics is unstable. But key policies are stable. A lesson for other democracies
• At SCO meet, Jaishankar targets BRI
• Arif Mohammad Khan is overreaching in his role as governor

GS Paper 3

• Safety in public places mustn’t be a lost cause
• Bridging India: Morbi is a reminder how crucial bridges are as joints in India’s vast terrestrial logistics network
• The weakest link in air pollution fight
• A leg-up for logistics
• Gene-altered food crops: Enhancing mustard yields

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

• Centre restricts use of common weedicide glyphosate citing health hazards
• Senna spectabilis: Invasive tree spreading in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
• This year, saffron fields to spice up tourists’ reel life in Kashmir
• Coronal Holes: NASA image shows Sun ‘smiling’ down at us
• SCDPM: 8,416 public grievances addressed as part of special drive by Health Ministry
• Explained | The C-295 and India’s aircraft industry
• Goa hosts Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation(CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference
• Yotta D1: UP CM inaugurates north India’s first hyperscale data center in Greater Noida
• HARIT Aaykar initiative by Income Tax Department for increasing greenery and creating micro forests
• PM bows to freedom fighter, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on the occasion of his Guru Pooja

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 2

An ASHA worker writes: At 100, I see an India beyond the rural-urban divide; a healthy India

News: The article discusses the problem faced by health system in rural India and role of ASHA workers.

What are the health problems faced by rural areas in India?

Lack of Information: One of the biggest issues faced in rural health services is lack of information. People in rural areas do not have proper information related to health issues.

For example, people in rural area of Maharashtra opposed ASHA workers during quarantine of Covid positive patients.

Therefore, there is a need for robust channels of communication between the government and the rural population to send the information effectively. ASHA workers can play a crucial role in this effort.

Lack of resources: Rural health in India suffer from lack of proper resources and facilities.

For example, hospitals in rural areas are far and understaffed, road connectivity is not good for ambulances to arrive on time, proper testing facilities are also not available.

How ASHA workers play an important role in the health system of rural areas?

They are the lifelines in rural areas. They are first to be called at the time of medical emergency. This has made them to get the title of “Guardian of the Year” by Time magazine in 2020.

However, these accreditations are only short lived and there is a need to fix the issue at a larger scale.

What are the problems faced by ASHA workers and how can it be solved?

First, ASHA workers do not have fixed income. Therefore, they should get a fixed income to give them stability in job.

Second, ASHA workers are recognized as volunteers but their jobs should be formalized which would give them dignity and protection. This will also ensure that they are taken seriously by the state, the gram panchayat, and patients.

Tel Aviv model: Israeli politics is unstable. But key policies are stable. A lesson for other democracies

News: Israel voted for the fifth time in four years and the results could lead to a change in the government. This shows that here has been political instability in Israel. However, this political instability has not affected the growth of the nation.

How has Israel focused on its growth?

Pandemic: Israel rolled out Covid vaccines along with early booster dose to mitigate ethe effects of pandemic on its economy. Israel was open during the Omicron wave and the it achieved achieve 5. 2% GDP growth that year.

Hi-tech industry: Israel’s hi-tech industry has grown remarkably in the last four years. It saw a 136% increase in 2020 and Israel also raised $25 billion at the end of 2021 for its hi-tech sector.

Foreign policy: Israel has entered into normalizing its ties with Arab Nations (UAE, Bahrain and Morocco) through Abraham Accord. It has also joined hands with India, UAE and US through I2U2 platform. The platform focusses on boosting infrastructure, food security, access to energy and strengthening economic partnerships in the region.

How other democracies including India can learn from Israel and what can be way forward for India?

The policies of Israel show that irrespective of political turmoil, its economy is intact and even growing. This lesson has to be learnt by democracies like India that political changes should not affect the country’s growth.

Moreover, India should continue strengthening its partnership with Israel particularly to build cooperation with the Israeli tech and agriculture sectors. It should also focus on negotiating a free trade agreement with Israel.

At SCO meet, Jaishankar targets BRI

News: A virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held recently. It was attended by the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

What were the response of India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the SCO meeting?

Connectivity projects should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states and respect international law. He said this in reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

More trade through Iran’s Chabahar port and the International North South Transport Corridors (INSTC) to improve bilateral trade with Central Asian countries.

India’s total trade with SCO Members is only $141 billion which has potential to increase. He put emphasis over access to fair markets for mutual benefits to move forward with increasing the trade.

Amongst the SCO countries India’s large amount of trading is done with China which crossed $100 billion this year.

India is looking for greater cooperation with SCO member states on countering the food crisis, particularly with millets. The recent food crisis is caused by the Ukraine war.

There is a need for better connectivity in the SCO region built on the interests of Central Asian states. This will unlock the economic potential of this region.

Other member countries of the SCO criticized economic sanctions imposed on Russia as it affects the global economy.

What is the stand of India on BRI?

BRI is a series of infrastructure projects that pass-through Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. India has refused to join the BRI.

India on the other hand is looking for the alternative to BRI and an alternative trade route through Pakistan.

For this, India has been developing and promoting the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar and the link through the INSTC.

Arif Mohammad Khan is overreaching in his role as governor

News- The article explains the position of Governor in constitutional setup.

Kerala governor seeked the dismissal of state finance minister for expressing his opinion on the security given to a vice chancellor in UP. He equated it with the violation of the Constitution and as threatening cordial relations between states.

What does the constitution say about the powers of governor?

Under Article 163(1), the council of ministers is “to aid and advise the governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under this Constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them at his discretion”.

Article 164 provides for appointment of ministers in state. It has to be strictly on the advice of the council of ministers headed by CM. The governor has no independent power to appoint any minister.

The governor is the titular head of the government. He is not an active participant in the day-to-day functioning of the government.

What has been the position of the judiciary?

The Supreme Court in Nabam Rebia case, 2016 held that the exercise of executive power by the governor, is by and large notional. The office of the governor has been described as “titular”.

In NCT Delhi v. Union of India, SC underlined that our adoption of the Westminster form of government means that the real powers vested in the elected government and governor has to be just a nominal head. He reigns but does not rule.

In Shamsher Singh v State of Punjab (1974), the apex court had said we are a parliamentary democracy and governors should ideally behave just like the British monarch.

What do the debates of the constituent assembly say about the position of governor?

Hari Vishnu Kamath, a member of the Constituent Assembly, moved an amendment to do away with the discretionary powers Article 163. the reason given was any discretionary powers would undermine the tenets of a constitutionally elected government.

Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri feared that such powers may be used to unsettle democratically elected governments.

Ambedkar was of the opinion that Clause (1) of Article 163 is a very limited clause. It was not a general one that gave the governor power to disregard the advice of his ministers in any matter in which he finds he ought to disregard.

How should the governor use discretionary powers?

Discretions to be exercised with caution and in a reasonable manner. It is not according to will and private affections. Absolute discretion is constitutional blasphemy. It endangers freedom.

The role and duties of the governor are only to the extent where he is advised by the council of ministers so that the fine democratic values are maintained.

The governor may exercise his discretionary powers only in certain exceptional situations such as formation of government when there is no clear majority.

Their duty is to ensure that the popular government elected by the people who are the real sovereign of our country complete their terms in office and in cases.

GS Paper 3

Safety in public places mustn’t be a lost cause

News: Over a hundred people lost their lives in the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat. This has raised concerns over the failure of governance.

What is the incident?

It is century old bridge that was reopened after seven months of repair without getting a safety clearance. The tourist visited there and they were more than the capacity of the bridge which made the bridge to collapse.

The incident has led the arrest of the people involved in maintaining the bridge and controlling the crowd.

However, such incidents are not new to India. There have been multiple such incidents in the past but the culprits have not been punished.

What are the problems with such disaster in India?

There is serious issue of proper governance and accountability in India.

The authorities in India take actions after the incident have caused and people responsible for such incidents are not even punished.

For example, the death of businessman Cyrus Mistry raised the issue of rear seat belts but the faulty highway design which was mostly the cause of accident did not led authorities to act against the main culprit.

Therefore, there is little accountability in India for such incidents and people responsible are rarely punished.

Further. urban governance in India is poorer as it includes corruption and ineffective implementation of the policies. Politicians often join hands with builders to deliver sub-optimal infrastructure.

What can be the course of action?

India requires some efforts to improve its current inability in ensuring proper accountability.

Some jurists have called for “accountability jurisprudence” so that those responsible (the state, followed by private contractors) are pushed to enforce basic safety norms.

There must be a systemic will to implement laws and carelessness should be removed.

Further, there is need to spread awareness regarding the responsibility a citizen has because it is not only the state that lacks, sometimes the irresponsible citizens can also endanger the life of others.

Bridging India: Morbi is a reminder how crucial bridges are as joints in India’s vast terrestrial logistics network

News- The article explains the significance of bridges in the case of India.

What is the importance of bridges?

Bridges are the joints that link the road and rail network across challenging terrain. They are an indicator of society’s capabilities.

They are celebrated as engineering marvels. Example is 100-year-old Pamban rail bridge across the sea that links peninsular India to Rameswaram island

India currently moves about 4.6 billion tonnes of freight a year. Around 70% is transported by trucks and 18% by rail. India’s coast-to-landmass ratio is relatively low. The landmass is crisscrossed by multiple rivers prone to annual flooding. GoI estimates that about 12% of the area is prone to floods. It makes bridge building critical.

They are an important part of the rail network. In 2018, the rail track length of 67368 km included 1.47 lakh bridges. Many of them have been in existence for over a century.

What steps are being taken by the government to improve bridge management?

Technology will play an important role in extending the longevity of bridges. Stainless steel is being used in bridge construction in coastal areas. Railways have begun to use drones to inspect bridges. Use of drones is expected to improve oversight, particularly during the monsoon.

GoI announced the establishment of the Indian bridge management system to collect information on bridges. It will enhance the quality of maintenance.

The weakest link in air pollution fight

News- The article explains the institutional constraints faced by the State Pollution Control Board and Pollution Control Committees of UTs. It also explains the mandate of these institutions.

What is the mandate of SPCBs? The SPCBs were initially constituted under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

Under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the SPCB mandate was

expanded to include air quality management. Subsequently, several new environmental

regulations added to their roles and functions.

Their primary role is to regulate emissions from point sources such as industries and power plants. More recently, they have also been tasked with guiding cities in meeting targets

under the National Clean Air Programme and spending Finance Commission grants for air

quality improvements.

What are the institutional constraints faced by SPCBs?

Composition of board– The composition of SPCBs is a matter of serious concern. Over 50% of the Board members across the 10 SPCBs and PCC represent potential polluters: local authorities, industries, and public sector corporations. Their presence raises fundamental questions around conflicts of interest.

There is a lack of multidimensional expertise in the composition of boards. Scientists, medical practitioners, and academics constitute only 7% of the Board members.

Leadership issues– The chairperson and the member secretary do not enjoy a long, stable, and full-time tenure. In many States, persons in these two posts hold an additional charge in other government departments. For example, the shortest tenure for a chairperson has been 18 days in  Chhattisgarh and 15 days for a member secretary in Haryana.

Human resources– SPCBs are critically under-staffed. At least 40% of all sanctioned posts are vacant across nine SPCBs and PCCs.

A leg-up for logistics

News- The article explains the logistical related issues. It also explains the National Logistics Policy.

How is the performance of India in logistics?

A 2018 logistics performance index prepared by the World Bank put India at rank 44. China is ranked at 26th position.

India’s logistics costs add up to around 13% of gross domestic product. It is quite high compared to developed economies such as the US, South Korea, Singapore, and EU. Here, costs are estimated to be 7-10%.

But this cost is disputed by some scholars.

Which are Initiatives by the government that will help in improving logistics?

Transport infrastructure has been put in place. It is evident from greenfield expressways to dedicated freight corridors.

The goods and services tax and e-way bill system have transformed the nature of transport documentation.

Coastal zones are being developed. GatiShakti platform seeks to build the necessary connectivity.

How will the National Logistics Policy be implemented?

The National Logistics Policy will be implemented Through a five-pronged strategy–

One, the share of the railways is to be pushed up from the current 28 per cent to 40 per cent. The current emphasis on “dedicated freight corridors” with committed time-tables, along with RORO will help enormously.

Two, multi-modal logistics parks are to be set up.

Three, special emphasis is to be given to inland water transportation, coastal shipping, and moving liquid bulk cargo via pipelines.

Four, specific plans are to be drawn up for 15 industries that constitute the majority of bulk cargo movement.

Five, digital integration is to be achieved for tracking and monitoring.  A new platform called Unified Logistics Interface Platform or Ulip will offer open access to relevant data crucial to tracking and expediting cargo movement. It will be done by integrating e-portals of the railways, customs, aviation and commerce authorities.

The outcome of all these efforts is to be monitored by a Logistics Ease Across Different States survey.

What are the issues that need to be resolved?

The adoption of standardised multi-use containers is to be emphasised. Agricultural mandis to aerotropolises, modern reefer trucks and refrigerated warehouses as viable cold-chains need to be established.

The capacity and efficiency of Indian ports have improved considerably. The average turnaround time of a container vessel has come down to 26 hours from 44 hours. But maritime freight-pricing-power needs some bold reforms.

The issues related to perennial navigable channels, night navigation, and, crucially, the absence of appropriate river-ports and related connectivity need to be resolved.

Gene-altered food crops: Enhancing mustard yields

News: Recently, the government cleared the GM Mustard Hybrid DMH 11 for commercial cultivation. It is a bid to pave the way for the introduction of gene-altered food crops, which can revolutionise Indian agriculture.

About the approval of GM Mustard

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) approved GM mustard for general cultivation in 2017. But the government then blocked this move under pressure from the anti-genetic modification lobby.

The same lobby once again tried to block the commercialisation of DMH-11 mustard

Agricultural science bodies, such as the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, have now prepared to carry out field tests, demonstration trials, and seed multiplication of DMH-11 in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the GEAC.

What are the other gene-altered food crops allowed for field-testing by GEAC?

GEAC has granted permission for the field-testing of four more genetically engineered crops, which include two food crops — potato and banana — and two commercial crops — rubber and cotton.

No new Bt-cotton hybrid has been approved since the release of Bollgard-II in 2006. The new strains of Bt-cotton are required to replace the existing ones that have outlived their useful life.

How GM Mustard will aid mustard yields?

India is a net edible oil-deficit country. India at present imports as high as 55-60% of its edible oil. GM mustard will have a yield advantage of nearly 28% over the available mustard varieties. So, it can help substantially reduce the gap in the domestic demand and supply of edible oil.

How do global countries take advantage of Indian gene-altered food crops?

a) Australia has released GM Mustard developed in India for general cultivation to take advantage of its high-yield potential, b) GM brinjal developed in India was adopted for cultivation by Bangladesh with good results and without any environmental or health hazards.

So, India should take advantage of indigenous GM crops to increase both productivity and profitability and double farmers’ income.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

Centre restricts use of common weedicide glyphosate citing health hazards

Source: The post is based on the article “Centre restricts use of common weedicide glyphosate citing health hazards” published in The Hindu on 1st November 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has restricted the use of glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, citing health hazards for humans and animals.

The new notification mandates that all holders of the certificate of registration granted for Glyphosate and its derivatives will have to return the certificate of registration to the Registration Committee.

From now on, glyphosate will be applied only through pest control operators(PCOs). PCOs are licensed to use deadly chemicals for treating pests such as rodents.

What is Glyphosate?

Glyphosate is an herbicide. It is applied to the leaves of plants to kill both broadleaf plants and grasses.

​​Glyphosate was highly accepted by tea planters in the past two decades. It has a very good market size in the tea sector of West Bengal and Assam.

Health impact of Glyphosate: Health impacts of glyphosate range from cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity to neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity.

– Some 35 countries have banned or restricted the use of glyphosate. These include Sri Lanka, Netherlands, France, Colombia, Canada, Israel and Argentina.

Glyphosate usage in India: In India, glyphosate has been approved for use only in tea plantations and non-plantation areas accompanying the tea crop. Use of the substance anywhere else is illegal.

– But glyphosate consumption data shows a different picture. Consumption is higher in states that do not have tea crops. For example, the highest consumption of glyphosate in India for 2020-21 was in Uttar Pradesh followed by Gujarat.

– Majority of those using glyphosate were also not trained for doing so and did not have the appropriate safety precaution.

Senna spectabilis: Invasive tree spreading in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Source: The post is based on the article “Invasive tree spreading in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve” published in The Hindu on 2nd November 2022.

What is the News?

Senna spectabilis, an invasive tree, has taken over between 800 and 1,200 hectares of the buffer zones of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve(MTR) in the picturesque Nilgiris hill district.

What is Senna spectabilis?

Senna spectabilis was introduced in India as an ornamental species and for use as firewood from South and Central America.

The plant has become an invasive alien species in parts of Africa, India and other countries.

The thick foliage of the tree arrests the growth of other indigenous tree and grass species. Hence, it causes food shortages for the wildlife population, especially herbivores.

It also adversely affects the germination and growth of native species.

What is Mudumalai Tiger Reserve?

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state spread over 321 sq. km at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

It forms part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, the first Biosphere Reserve in India, declared in 1986. 

It has a common boundary with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) on the West, Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) on the North, the Nilgiris North Division on the South and East and Gudalur Forest Division on the South West.

The reserve has tall grasses, commonly referred to as “Elephant Grass”, Bamboo of the giant variety, and valuable timber species like Teak, Rosewood etc.

This reserve has a wide variety of more than 260 species of birds. Around 80% of bird species found in India are recorded in Mudumalai.

This year, saffron fields to spice up tourists’ reel life in Kashmir

Source: The post is based on the article “This year, saffron fields to spice up tourists’ reel life in Kashmir ” published in The Hindu on 2nd November 2022.

What is the News?

The Kashmir tourism department invited students and local farmers to join the saffron festival organized in Pampore to highlight the whole process of saffron cultivation. 

About Saffron

Saffron is a plant whose dried stigmas (thread-like parts of the flower) are used to make saffron spice.

Saffron cultivation is believed to have been introduced in Kashmir by Central Asian immigrants around the 1st Century BCE.

It has been associated with traditional Kashmiri cuisine and represents the rich cultural heritage of the region.

It is known all over the world as a spice, and health rejuvenator and is also used in cosmetics as well as for medicinal purposes.

Saffron is referred to as ‘bahukam’ in ancient Sanskrit literature.

It is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) of J&K.

In 2020, the Kashmir saffron got Geographical Indication (GI) tag status.

Pampore region, commonly known as the Saffron bowl of Kashmir is the main contributor to saffron production.

Pampore Saffron Heritage of Kashmir is also one of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage systems (GIAHS) recognised sites in India.

Coronal Holes: NASA image shows Sun ‘smiling’ down at us

Source: The post is based on the article “NASA image shows Sun ‘smiling’ down at us” published in Indian Express on 2nd November 2022.

What is the News?

NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory has shared an image of the sun seemingly ‘smiling’. NASA explained that the patches are called coronal holes which can be seen in ultraviolet light but are typically invisible to our eyes.

NASA has explained that these patches are called coronal holes which can be seen in ultraviolet light but are typically invisible to our eyes.

What are Coronal Holes?

Coronal Holes are regions on the sun’s surface from where fast solar wind gushes out into space.

Because they contain little solar material, they have lower temperatures and thus appear much darker than their surroundings. 

The holes are not a unique phenomenon, appearing throughout the sun’s approximately 11-year solar cycle.

Coronal holes can last between a few weeks to months. They can last much longer during solar minimum – a period of time when activity on the Sun is substantially diminished, according to NASA.

What do Coronal holes tell us?

These ‘coronal holes’ are important to understanding the space environment around the earth through which our technology and astronauts travel.

Scientists also study these coronal holes because they sometimes interact with earth’s magnetic field, creating what’s called a geomagnetic storm which can expose satellites to radiation and interfere with communications signals.

What is a Geomagnetic storm?

A geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance of Earth’s magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar wind into the space environment surrounding Earth. 

The largest storms that result from these conditions are associated with solar coronal mass ejections(CMEs) where a billion tons or so of plasma from the sun, with its embedded magnetic field, arrives at Earth. 

Geomagnetic storms can cause changes in the ionosphere, part of the earth’s upper atmosphere. Radio and GPS signals travel through this layer of the atmosphere and so communications can get disrupted.

SCDPM: 8,416 public grievances addressed as part of special drive by Health Ministry

Source: The post is based on the article “8,416 public grievances addressed as part of a special drive by the Health Ministry” published in The Hindu on 1st November 2022.

What is the News?

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has organized Special Campaign 2.0 for Disposal of Pending Matters(SCDPM) and Swachhata Drive.

What is Special Campaign 2.0 for Disposal of Pending Matters(SCDPM) and Swachhata Drive?

The government of India undertook the Swachhata Campaign and ‘Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters from October 2 to 31, 2022.

Aim: To clear the disposal of pending matters across the Central ministries and government departments.

Objectives of the campaign: To identify and timely disposal of pending matters/references; to review existing rules and procedures to reduce compliance burden; record management; cleanliness of government offices including space management; etc.

Nodal Agency: Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) is the Nodal Department to oversee the implementation of the campaign.

Explained | The C-295 and India’s aircraft industry

Source: The post is based on the article “Explained | The C-295 and India’s aircraft industry” published in The Hindu on 2nd November 2022.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for the C-295 transport aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara to be set up by Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited(TASL).

What is a C-295 aircraft?

Click Here to read

What is the significance of the C-295 aircraft manufacturing facility in India?

The domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem will get a boost with the C-295 project as it will lead to the development of a strong private industrial aerospace ecosystem not only in and around Vadodara but across the country. 

About India’s Civil Aviation Sector

India has a much bigger footprint in civil aviation manufacturing than defence in addition to being a major market itself. Both Airbus and Boeing do significant sourcing from India for their civil programmes.

For instance, Boeing’s sourcing from India stands at $1 billion annually, of which over 60% is in manufacturing, through a growing network of 300+ supplier partners of which over 25% are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). 

Similarly, Lockheed Martin has joint ventures with TASL in Hyderabad which has manufactured more than 180 empennages for the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft and delivered 157 S-92 helicopter cabins. 

Hence, today India has the world’s fastest-growing aviation sector and is about to reach the top three countries in the world in terms of air traffic.

Goa hosts Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation(CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference

Source: The post is based on the article “Goa hosts Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation(CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference” published in PIB on 2nd November 2022.

What is the News?

Goa is hosting the three day Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation(CANSO) Conference. The theme of the conference is “Think Global, Collaborate Regional, Accomplish Local”.

What is the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation(CANSO)?

Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation(CANSO) was founded in 1996. It is a representative body of companies that provide air traffic control. 

It represents the interests of Air Navigation Service Providers(ANSPs). 

CANSO members are responsible for supporting over 85% of world air traffic and through its workgroups, members share information and develop new policies, with the aim of improving air navigation services on the ground and in the air. 

CANSO also represents its members’ views in regulatory and industry forums, including at the International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) where it has official Observer status.

Headquarters: Amsterdam Airport, Netherlands.

Yotta D1: UP CM inaugurates north India’s first hyperscale data center in Greater Noida

Source: The post is based on the article “UP CM inaugurates north India’s first hyperscale data center in Greater Noida” published in Indian Express on 2nd November 2022.

What is the News?

Uttar Pradesh CM inaugurated North India’s first hyperscale data centre ‘Yotta D1’ in Greater Noida.

What is a Hyperscale Data Centre?

A data Centre is a dedicated space or building that houses an organization’s IT equipment and servers. The company can draw on its data center resources to operate its business or serve those resources to the public as a service.

A Hyperscale data center is essentially the premise that provides space, power and cooling for network infrastructure designed specifically for offering a portfolio of highly scalable applications and storage services to businesses. 

About Yotta D1

Yotta D1 is North India’s first hyperscale data centre.

Located in: Greater Noida, UP

Built by: Yotta Infrastructure, part of Hiranandani Group

The data centre is spread across 20 acres and will offer a total capacity of 30,000 racks, 4 dedicated fiber paths and an IT power capacity of 160 MW. 

Purpose: It will cater to the full spectrum of digital transformation needs with an elaborate portfolio of solutions that include data center colocation services, network and connectivity, internet peering, IT security and smart cybersecurity and a host of application modernisation and cloud-enabled services.

Significance: This data center will increase the data storage capacity of the country, which until now stood at 2% only despite the fact that 1.5 billion mobile phones and 650 million internet users in the world are from India using 20 percent of data.

HARIT Aaykar initiative by Income Tax Department for increasing greenery and creating micro forests

Source: The post is based on the article “HARIT Aaykar initiative by Income Tax Department for increasing greenery and creating micro forests” published in PIB on 1st November 2022.

What is the News?

The Income Tax Department has launched the HARIT Aaykar (Hariyali Achievement Resolution by Income Tax) Initiative on the occasion of National Unity Day.

What is HARIT Aaykar initiative?

Launched by: Income Tax Department

Under this initiative, the Income Tax Department resolves to increase the green cover by planting trees and creating micro-forests in and around the Income Tax Department’s buildings and other public areas.

What are micro forests?

A micro-forest is a small, planted forest that maximizes tree density and biodiversity.

The Miyawaki method, which was devised by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1980s is a technique to create micro forests over small plots of land.

Achieving this goal requires planting a wide variety of plants in a fairly dense manner so that the plot of land has different layers of a forest such as shrubs and canopies and not just trees.

Plants typically require anywhere between eight to nine months of care before reaching a point where the micro forest becomes self-sustaining.

PM bows to freedom fighter, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on the occasion of his Guru Pooja

Source: The post is based on the article “PM bows to freedom fighter, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on the occasion of his Guru Pooja” published in PIB on 1st November 2022.

What is the News?

The Prime Minister has paid tributes to freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar on the occasion of his Guru Pooja.

Who was Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar?

Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar was born on 30th October 1908 in Pasumpon in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. 

He was a freedom-fighter cum spiritual leader and was seen as a deity among the Mukulathor community. 

The people of the Mukulathor community still make offerings as is done for the deities in temples to the statue on his birthday and guru pooja celebrations. 

He did not accept traditional Hinduism because it supported the ‘Varnashrama’. He regularly fought against the evils of the Hindu religion. 

Thevar became a full-time member of the Congress party and attended the 1927 Congress session at Madras as a volunteer when he was just 19. 

He became a close aide of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Netaji introduced Thevar to his mother as his younger sibling.

In 1939, he assisted activist A. Vaidyanatha Iyer to take Dalits to the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.

He was instrumental in getting the Criminal Tribes Act(CTA) repealed after continuous efforts in 1946.