Current Affairs – October 04, 2024

{Prelims – Agri} NMEO-Oilseeds

Context (PIB): Cabinet approves National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds) for 2024-25 to 2030-31 to make India self-reliant in oilseed production

It will introduce the SATHI Portal, enabling States to coordinate with stakeholders to ensure the timely availability of quality seeds.

57% of the domestic demand for edible oils is met through imports.

Key Focus Areas:
- Primary Oilseed Crops: Rapeseed-Mustard, Groundnut, Soybean, Sunflower, Sesamum.
- Secondary Sources: Cottonseed, Rice Bran, Tree Borne Oils.

Managed by Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, public/private entities.
Promote intercropping and crop diversification.
Support for Post-Harvest Units: Establish or upgrade units for better recovery from cottonseed, rice bran, corn oil, and Tree-Borne Oils (TBOs).

{Prelims – Agri} Rationalisation of Schemes

Context (IE | TH): Cabinet approved rationalising all centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) operating under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare into two-umbrella Schemes viz. PM Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY) and Krishonnati Yojana (KY).

PM-RKVY is aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and KY will address food security and agricultural self-sufficiency. Both the schemes will be implemented by State governments.

{Prelims – Culture} Brahmotsavam festival In Tirupati

Context (IE): Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati is preparing for Brahmotsavam.

About the Festival

It is a nine-day festival celebrated at the Tirumala Tirupati Sri Venkateshwara Temple on the banks of Swami Pushkarini. Lord Brahma is believed to have initiated the festival to thank Lord Venkateshwara for protecting mankind.
If there is an extra month in the lunar calendar, two Brahmotsavam are held: Salakatla and Navarathri.
In 2024, since there is no Adhika Maasa, there will only be one Brahmotsavam (Salakatla).
Koil Alwar Tirumanjanam, the traditional temple cleansing ritual, is performed on Tuesdays preceding Brahmotsavam and festivals of Telugu Ugadi, Anivara Asthanam and Vaikuntha Ekadasi.

About Tirupati Temple

Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, and Vijayanagara kings contributed significantly to its South Indian architectural construction since 300 CE.
The temple is located on Seshachalam Hill, which comprises seven peaks.
In the 11th and 12th centuries, Ramanujacharya visited Tirupati thrice and introduced the recitation of Naalayira Divya Prabandham (collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars).
Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya (or Annamayya) was the official songmaster of the temple.

Also refer to Tirupati Laddu Controversy.

{Prelims – A&C} The Union Cabinet approved Classical language status

Context (TH): Classical language status to Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali & Prakrit.

Earlier India had 6 classical languages — Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Sanskrit, and Odia.
Tamil was the first language to be given classical status in 2004, followed by Sanskrit in 2005.
The criteria for bestowing classical status were revised by the Linguistics Experts Committee, chaired by the Sahitya Academy.
The Linguistics Expert Committee comprises representatives of the Union Ministries of Home, Culture and four or five linguistic experts at any given time.

Read more about Sahitya Academy, Classical language.

{Prelims – Envi} Dholes in Chincholi WLS

Context (TH): Dholes were found in Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary of the Kalyana-Karnataka region.

About Chincholi WLS

Location: Around Chandrampalli Dam in Chincholi (Kalaburagi district) in Karnataka.
It is the first dry-land wildlife sanctuary in South India. It has four dams, including Chandrampalli.
It has dry and moist deciduous forest in the core with acacia and teak plantations on the fringes and lateritic grasslands. Notified as a WLS in 2011, it is Karnataka’s northernmost protected area.
It is home to different varieties of flora and fauna, including sandalwood, red sanders, blackbuck, striped hyena, wolf and fruit bats.
It also houses many settlements (Tanda) of Lambani community.

{Prelims – Envi} Ecomark Certification

Context (TH): The Indian Government notified new rules for the ‘Ecomark’ certification to promote eco-friendly products and encourage sustainable consumption.

The certification covers various products, including food items, cosmetics, soaps, detergents, and paints.
It aligns with the broader mission of ‘LIFE’ (Lifestyle for Environment), focusing on reducing environmental impact and promoting green industries.

Source: Wikipedia

Ecomark (or Eco Label) is a voluntary labelling system for consumer products that meet Indian environmental criteria and quality standards.

New Rules of Ecomark Certification

Products must meet specific environmental and quality standards such as:
- Reducing pollution by minimising waste and emissions.
- Using recyclable or recycled materials.
- Reducing the use of non-renewable resources.
- Avoiding materials that have adverse environmental impacts.

Certification Process

Application: Manufacturers must apply to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Granting of Ecomark: If the product complies with the guidelines, the Ecomark certification will be granted. It is valid for three years or until standards change.

Read more > Ecomark Scheme.

{Prelims – Envi} EnviStats India 2024

Context (PIB): The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 7^th consecutive issue of “EnviStats India 2024: Environment Accounts” in accordance with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) Framework.

Findings

Around 72% increase in number and around 16% increase in area for Total Protected Area during 2000 to 2023. Coverage of Mangroves increased around 8% over the years 2013 to 2021.

About SEEA

It is an international framework for collecting data linking environmental and economic statistics.
It was endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission as an international standard in 2012.
It presents information in both physical and monetary terms, and it enters environmental stocks and flows between the environment and the economy as well as economic activity related to the environment.
It is developed under the patronage of the United Nations, the European Commission, the FAO, the OECD, the IMF, and the World Bank Group.

Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) Project

Funded by the European Union (EU) and jointly implemented by United Nations Statistics Division, United Nations Environment Programme, Secretariat of Convention on Biological Diversity.
In India, the NCAVES project was implemented by MoSPI in close collaboration with the MoEFCCC, National Remote Sensing Centre.

{Prelims – Envi} Switzerland and Italy to redraw boundaries

Context (IE | TH): Switzerland and Italy redraw their national boundary due to melting Alpine glaciers.

Large sections of the Swiss-Italian border are determined by glacier ridgelines or areas of perpetual snow, but melting glaciers have caused these natural boundaries to shift.
The section being redrawn sits beneath Matterhorn, one of Europe’s highest peaks.

Credits: Daily Mail

Switzerland’s glaciers have lost 10% of their ice volume in 2022-2023, more than ever recorded.
More than half of Switzerland’s electricity supply comes from hydroelectric facilities, which are also threatened by glaciers melting faster.

{Prelims – IE } Input Tax Credits (ITC)

Context (TH): SC declared that real estate companies can claim Input Tax Credits (ITC) under the GST regime on the costs of construction for commercial structures intended for renting or leasing purposes.

About Input Tax Credits (ITC)

It is a mechanism under the GST system that allows businesses to reduce the tax they have already paid on inputs (purchases) from the tax they need to pay on outputs (sales).
This system helps avoid the cascading effect of taxes, reducing the overall cost of goods and services.
Conditions to claim ITC:
- Must have a tax invoice or debit note from a registered dealer.
- Goods/services must be used for business purposes.
- ITC cannot be claimed if depreciation is claimed on the tax component of capital goods.

{Prelims – In News} Energy Efficiency Hub

Context (PIB): Cabinet clears India’s membership to 16-nation Energy Efficiency Hub (EEH). It was established in 2020 as the successor to the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC), of which India was a member.

It is a voluntary collaboration of governments, international organisations, and private sector entities to strengthen effectiveness in deploying energy efficiency by sharing knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions.
Its Secretariat is hosted by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Member countries: 16 (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, European Commission, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Russia, Saudi Arabia, USA and the UK).
Implementing Agency for the hub in India: Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

{Prelims – In News} International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF)

Context (TH | PIB): Central Drugs Standard Control Organization under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare becomes an Affiliate Member of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum.

Established in 2011, IMDRF is a collaborative group of global medical device regulators dedicated to accelerating the harmonisation and convergence of international medical device regulations.
Members: National regulatory authorities of the U.S., Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, UK, Brazil, Russia, China, South Korea, Singapore and the World Health Organization.

Significance of membership

Support innovation and timely access to new medical devices.
Enable Indian medical device manufacturers to meet the regulatory requirements of IMDRF member countries, thereby strengthening the “Brand India” in the global market.

{Prelims – PIN World – Asia} Chagos Islands

Context (IE | IE | TH): The U.K. will restore sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but retains Diego Garcia airbase.

The Chagos archipelago is a group of seven atolls in the Indian Ocean, comprising at least 60 islands about 500 km south of the Maldives and more than 2000 km northeast of Mauritius.
Chagos Islands are the southernmost archipelago of the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge, a long submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean.
Key Islands: Salomon Islands, Diego Garcia, Nelsons Island, etc.
The Great Chagos Bank is the largest atoll in the world.

Credits: IE | Chagossian Voices

History of sovereignty dispute over the Archipelago

The islands were initially uninhabited but were claimed by the British in the late 18th century after passing through French control. The islands were used for coconut plantations, and workers were brought in, many of them descendants of slaves from Africa and laborers from India.
Britain (controlled the Chagos Islands since 1814) separated the islands from Mauritius in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence, to establish the British Indian Ocean Territory.
In the early 1970s, nearly 2,000 residents were forcibly relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles to make way for an airbase on Diego Garcia, the largest island, which was leased to the United States in 1966. It became a fully operational military base in 1986.
A non-binding UN General Assembly resolution in 2019 called on Britain to relinquish control of the islands, citing the forced eviction of the population as unlawful. Despite this, the UK extended the lease for Diego Garcia until 2036 in 2016.

{Prelims – PIN World – Europe} Little Prespa Lake

Context (TH): Little Prespa Lake in Europe has been transformed into swamps or dried up.

Source: ResearchGate

About Little Prespa Lake

Location: It is situated on the border between Greece and Albania.
It consists of two lakes:
- Great Prespa Lake (shared by Albania, Greece, and North Macedonia).
- Small Prespa Lake (Mostly in Greece with a small tip in Albania).
One of the oldest tectonic lakes in Europe and the highest tectonic lake on the Balkan Peninsula. The region features rocks from the oldest Palaeozoic formations to sediments from the young Neogene era.
It is home to the world’s largest breeding colony of the Dalmatian pelican.
The lake is part of the Prespa National Park and is designated as a Ramsar Wetland.

{Prelims – S&T – Defence} 25T Bollard Pull Tug

Context (PIB): Indian navy launched 3^rd 25T Bollard Pull Tug Ashva.

It has a navigation system installed. It will be able to perform restricted search and rescue operations.

Also read about Tug Boat Mahabali.

{Prelims – S&T} Eight products from Assam received GI Tag

Context (TH): Eight products from Assam received the GI Tag.

About products

Products	Description
Bodo Jou Gwran	Rice beer variant.
Maibra Jou Bidwi	Rice beer prepared by fermenting half-cooked rice with less water.
Bodo Jou Gishi	Fermented rice-based alcoholic beverage.
Bodo Napham	Fermented fish prepared anaerobically in a tightly sealed container.
Bodo Ondla	Rice powder curry flavoured with garlic, ginger, salt, and alkali.
Bodo Gwkha	Bitter-sour curry prepared during the Bwisagu festival.
Bodo Narzi	Semi-fermented food prepared with jute leaves, a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and essential minerals, including calcium and magnesium.
Bodo Aronai	Finely woven cloth often draped over the shoulder.

About Bodo Tribe

Bodo is the largest plain tribe of Northeast India. They are found in Assam and Meghalaya.
According to the 2011 census, Bodo is the largest ethnic group in North-East India.
The tribe is one of the largest among the Indo-Mongoloid origin of Tibeto-Burmese languages.
Bodos are the single largest community among the notified Scheduled Tribes in Assam. Part of the larger umbrella of Bodo-Kachari, the Bodos constitute about 5-6% of Assam’s population.

{Prelims – S&T} Mapping of Fruit Fly Brain

Context (TH|IE): Scientists have successfully mapped the entire brain of an adult fruit fly.

Source: IE Source: Wikipedia

Previously, a tiny worm was the only adult animal to have had its brain entirely reconstructed, with just 385 neurons. The new fly map is “the first complete map of any complex brain”.

Human brain has 86 billion neurons.

Why Does the Fruit Fly Have So Much Scientific Importance?

Fruit flies breed rapidly, with a new generation emerging every 10-12 days under optimal conditions.
Genetic Research: It shares many similarities with the human genome. They have been used to study inheritance, gene function, and genetic mutations.
The team tested the simulated brain by seeing the response of it to food.

About Neurobiology

It is the branch of biology focuses on studying the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and neural circuits.

Key Areas of Study

Neural Anatomy: Examines the nervous system’s structure, including neurons & neural circuits.
Neural Physiology: Studies nerve cells function and communication (electrical and chemical signals).
Neural Pathology: Investigates diseases and disorders of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

Read More > Genome Mapping.

{Prelims – Schemes} Jan Yojana Abhiyan

Context (PIB): Ministry of Panchayati Raj launches People’s Plan Campaign (Jan Yojana Abhiyan) for the preparation of Panchayat Development Plans (PDPs) for 2025–26.

Embodying the spirit of ‘Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas’, it aims to strengthen grassroots democracy and promote inclusive development in rural India.
Objective: To encourage the active participation of rural citizens in the planning process to create development plans that truly reflect local needs and aspirations.
Under the campaign, special Gram Sabhas are being organised in more than 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats.

{Prelims – Schemes} PM-DAJAGUA

Context (PIB): The PM launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in Jharkhand.

“Dharti Aaba” is a title commonly used in Jharkhand to honour Birsa Munda.
It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to address critical gaps in social infrastructure, healthcare, education, and livelihoods in tribal communities and includes 25 targeted interventions led by various Ministries.
Inspired by the success of the PM-JANMAN program, PM-DAJAGUA seeks to uplift tribal populations, especially Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Coverage: The program will impact approximately 63,843 villages, benefiting over five crore tribal individuals across 549 districts and 2,911 blocks in tribal-majority villages and aspirational blocks across 30 States and Union Territories.